The new US ambassador to Canada, Pete Hoekstra, has been making the media rounds, and is just one more in a long line of American politicians who just can’t understand why Canadians are so upset with the Americans. (It’s a complete mystery!) Surely, we must be happy that we could have the “lowest tariffs of any country,” instead of, oh, the free trade that allowed for integrated supply chains between both countries. Why wouldn’t we be happy with that? And in a preview for an interview to be aired over the weekend, he says there are easier ways to send messages to Trump than to bring over the King.
*sighs*
Having the King open the next session of Parliament is not only about sending a message to Trump. Yes, that is part of it, and you can bet that it’s actually going to be something he pays more attention to than a phone call because his attention span only lasts as long as the next person who talks to him, so what good is a phone call in that regard? Also? This is as much about domestic reassurance as it is a message to Trump. As Trump has threatened us, we had a bunch of people wrongly believe that the King needed to act unilaterally and say something that might cause a diplomatic incident, and others actually believed that he personally invited Trump on the second state visit when no, that was at the behest of the UK prime minister, Keir Starmer. And no, he can’t say anything unilaterally, because that goes against what constitutional monarchy stands for, and why there was the Glorious Revolution in 1688. If anyone is to blame for Charles not speaking up on Canada’s behalf earlier, it was Justin Trudeau’s, because he very much liked to ignore the Crown as much as he possibly could (probably because it pulled the focus away from him).
Oh, and Hoekstra keeps saying that the “51st state” stuff is over, and that Trump isn’t saying it, and they have more important things to worry about. But he said it just two weeks ago, and do you actually think that anything is really over for Trump? He’s incredibly angry with his past self for signing the New NAFTA. And I get that Hoekstra needs to play this particular role, but come on. Demonstrate that you’ve paid the slightest bit of attention to Canada since you were named ambassador, and read the room.
https://bsky.app/profile/effinbirds.com/post/3lps2mm7mmf26
Ukraine Dispatch
Russia is claiming to have taken a settlement between Pokrovsk and Kostiantynivka in Donetsk region.
Good reads:
- Mark Carney was sworn-in as an MP yesterday.
- Carney says that temporary chief of staff Marco Mendicino is staying on for the summer, and rumour has it that nobody offered the job wants it.
- At the end of the G7 finance minister/central bankers’ meeting, François-Philippe Champagne pointed to the things they were unified (with some pointed silences).
- Trump’s new tax bill could tear up the Canada-US tax treaty that has been in place since 1942, ostensibly as retaliation for the Digital Services Tax.
- Five US senators were in Ottawa to meet government officials and to stress “bipartisan” support for close relations. (Erm, seriously?)
- Here’s a brief look at the fiscal crisis that Canada Post finds itself in, effectively bankrupt and on life support. They have rejected the union’s offer to delay a strike.
- At CRTC hearings on the future of CanCon, groups representing actors and creators called on them to ensure AI-generated content is not counted toward CanCon.
- The Logic takes a look at Canada’s role in the semiconductor supply chain, and why it’s under pressure from the Trump administration.
- The Israeli ambassador was summoned to explain the incident where IDF members fired warning shots at Canadian diplomats in the West Bank.
- Members of the Conservative caucus are looking for Poilievre to fire Jenni Byrne (because she’s a bully), or face a challenge to his leadership if he doesn’t.
- Western premiers met and have agreed to “identify, plan and develop” new economic corridors (and no, that is not just code for pipelines).
- First Nations leaders in BC warn that the province’s bill to “fast track” resource projects could lead to protests because it would run roughshod over consultation.
- Jennifer Robson gives her reading of the singular mandate letter.
Odds and ends:
https://bsky.app/profile/journodale.bsky.social/post/3lps4cdnivs2s
Want more Routine Proceedings? Become a patron and get exclusive new content.