The tariff news keeps coming, because of course it does. Trump is launching a new round of tariffs to replace the “temporary” ones that he put in place after the US Supreme Court struck down his previous “Liberation Day” tariffs, under the pretence that these tariffs are about combatting the use of “forced labour” in the supply chains of trading partners, like Canada. (Just don’t ask Americans about their own forced labour practices in their prison-industrial complex). These tariffs seem to be exempt if they’re New NAFTA compliant, so they may not affect Canada that much, but our government is going to keep insisting that we’re doing a great job of keeping forced labour from our supply chains, but they eliminated the ombudsman who investigated these supply chains, and their new legislation on tougher compliance is not in effect. (Also, we’re going to pointedly ignore all that investment from Qatar, which also engaged in forced labour).
Meanwhile, when it comes to the threats of the Section 338 tariffs, prime minister Mark Carney met with the premiers yesterday, and said that they are considering retaliation (just not retaliating in advance), and that “all options are on the table,” never mind that two of those premiers will not put all options on the table. So, yeah, I’m not exactly sure what to make of this other than to say that the history so far is a lot of huffing and puffing, and then quickly capitulating in order to “keep negotiations going,” which nets us absolutely nothing more than more threats, more bullying, and more attempts to turn us into a vassal state.
Programming Note: I’m taking the next week-and-a-half off for my summer break. Loonie Politics columns will still appear on schedule, but blog posts and video content are taking a break for the duration.
My Latest:
My column points to how Avi Lewis seems determined to repeat Jagmeet Singh’s strategy for getting a seat, and how he’ll render himself just as irrelevant that way.
Ukraine Dispatch:
Russian attacks on Zaporizhzhia have hit water supplies to parts of the nuclear power station in the area. Ousted defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov has turned down any other role in government, and wants to finish what he started in defence.
Noteworthy:
- Jennifer Robson puts the tariff threats into a broader context of what’s going on in the Trump White House.
- Justin Ling suggests it’s time for a stronger line on boycotting American products, with more aggressive advertising and support from the government.
- Jen Gerson lays out that unless we hit the Americans back with some economic significance, they will continue to grind us into vassalage.
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Jen Gerson started out strong – the suggestion to just not open the bridge is intriguing, since it was never even floated by anyone before – but then deteriorated into a pit of of despairing rhetoric.
Early on a professor (I think of history) was interviewed on my local CBC, and he pointed out that Canada was not doing that badly before NAFTA. Now that’s radical. Maybe its time to explore that scenario.
I hope you have a great holiday!
Have a good holiday.