In order for Canadians to appreciate how vital Prime Minister Mark Carney’s decision was not to sign an oppressive trade agreement, we have to keep in mind the constant underlying objective of the United States under its current regime.
asserted
we → appreciate → regime
On Jan. 7, 2025, Donald Trump was asked if would ever consider annexing Canada by military force.
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Trump → ask → force
He replied, “No.
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He → reply → ?
But I would use economic force.”
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I → use → force
Recent trade talks have not been negotiations; they were an economic war launched against Canada.
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they → launch → Canada
This was re-affirmed this past Thursday by American vice-president JD Vance when he commented on the trade negotiations: “And the whole point of this is to change Canada’s behaviour, which they, you know, not entirely but they’ve certainly shifted in a Trumpian direction.
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they → re → direction
He made it quite clear what their ultimate objective was.
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objective → make → ?
Carney learned from the Gordie Howe Bridge debacle that giving in does not appease the bully but merely encourages even more aggression.
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giving → learn → aggression
It is also important to remember despite what Trump posts on Truth Social, economic indicators show Canada’s economy has done better than the U.S. economy since he took office and began his tariff campaign.
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he → remember → campaign
Elbows up Canada!
Michael Liotta, Toronto
Has the U.S. forgotten about how often Canada has stepped up to help?
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Canada → forget → Elbows
Carney has the full support of Canadian citizens on the Trump administration’s sad and disgusting “power play” that has now left current trade talks in limbo.
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that → have → limbo
Canadians fully support Carney’s “dollar for dollar” retaliation in response to the American’s 50 per cent tariffs on $28 billion in Canadian exports.
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Canadians → support → exports
While the Canada/U.S. deal appeared to be very close, Carney had simply no other option than to end discussions as he rightly felt that: “You’re at war when you get attacked.”
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you → appear → war
It’s a shame the U.S. has taken such an offensive stance against a friendly neighbour like Canada.
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U.S. → ’ → Canada
Have the Americans forgotten the amazing help our Canadian ambassador Ken Taylor gave in helping six Americans escape from Iran during the 1979 hostage crisis by procuring Canadian passports for the Americans to deceive the Iranian Revolutionary guard?
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Americans → forget → guard
Has the U.S. forgotten the 38 airliners and four military aircraft that landed at Gander on Sept. 11, 2001, and the 6,595 people who were welcomed on 9/11 by that tiny town in Newfoundland who provided food, accommodation and help for days?
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who → forget → days
We have a very long history of close friendship.
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We → have → friendship
This is the time when reason and goodwill must prevail.
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reason → prevail → ?
A midterm knockout to the Republicans would make the America great again
After repeatedly saying no deal is better than a bad deal, most of us are glad Prime Minister Carney has made good on his word.
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Carney → make → word
Rather than bow to Trump’s bully tactics and make the best of a bad deal, Canada will put up a good fight, tariff for tariff.
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Canada → bow → tariff
Now we must wait and see if there’s a backlash from the border states.
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we → wait → states
Their stinging blow would prepare for the midterm election knockout, which would reduce Trump to a lame-duck president.
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which → prepare → president
Then we may sing, with Rosie O’Donnell, that Donny Boy will at last “resign to Make America Great Again!”
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America → sing → O’Donnell
Watching trade talks brought on nerves
I share Star columnist Adam Radwanksi’s relief that what would have been a humiliating and painful tentative trade agreement was torpedoed in the 11th hour by outrageous demands from blowhard U.S. commerce secretary Howard Lutnick.
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been → watch → Lutnick
It was nerve wracking to watch as the federal government seemed ready to appease both Trump and some corporate leaders who seemed content as our negotiators played softball for the sake of stability, even at the expense of national sovereignty.
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negotiators → wrack → sovereignty
Canada’s leading business figures can help by vocally supporting Prime Minister Carney and the provincial premiers standing up to a U.S. administration that won’t negotiate in good faith.
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that → help → faith
Gord McNulty, Hamilton
It’s short-term pain, long-term gain for Canada
James Carville, advisor to former U.S. president Bill Clinton, created the campaign slogan, “It’s the economy stupid” that won Clinton the Presidency in 1992.
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that → ’ → 1992
Carville is predicting Trump will vacate the presidency by April 15, 2027.
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Trump → predict → April
By that time the midterm elections of November will hopefully have given the Democrats the House (possibly the Senate too) and impeachment hearings will be well under way.
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hearings → give → way
Trump will also be facing numerous legal investigations.
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Trump → face → investigations
Canadians will suffer some discomfort until then but we must remain strong in our resolve to resist all Trumpian assaults.
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we → suffer → assaults
A unified Canada will stand as a credit to our brave ancestors who gave us this great land.
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who → unify → land
An American’s message to Canada: Thank you for standing your ground
I applaud your Prime Minister Carney for walking away from recent trade negotiations with the United States.
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I → thank → States
I believe most Americans quietly do also.
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Americans → believe → ?
Trump and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick used bad-faith last-minute bargaining tactics to try to force Canada into signing a unfair deal.
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Trump → use → deal
Canada is our closest neighbour and largest trading partner.
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Canada → trade → ?
Millions of Americans benefit every day from the free movement of goods, services, energy and investment across our shared border.
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Millions → benefit → border
That relationship should be treated as an extraordinary asset, not as leverage to force Canada into accepting an agreement it believes is fundamentally unfair.
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it → treat → agreement
Carney has made clear Canada remains willing to pursue a mutually beneficial relationship with the United States.
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remains → make → States
But he has also made clear Canada will not compromise its sovereignty to obtain a deal.
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Canada → make → deal
…and 11 more, not listed.
The Aporia
