Critical minerals, manufacturing, defence spending, and border security could form the basis of a deal that protects Canadian jobs while giving Washington what it wants.
Canadians have been led to believe that American milk is somehow unsafe—a message promoted for years by the dairy cartel. The issue is also political influence. The dairy cartel has enough clout to keep high tariffs in place, at least until voters decide to use their ballots to change the political incentives.
Even as a kid I remember Canadians going across the border for milk, cheese and gas. That was the norm for years, until liberals decimated our dollar so badly.
I wonder if people (voters) in each municipality could demand an account of each riding’s tally. And also have each party’s rep make the vote count public. Then post the results in the papers, social media and local tv stations. I know that there were questionable tactics revealed by the volunteers at the last federal voting stations…across Canada. Maybe that’s something the voters can demand.
That information should be available on the Elections Canada website already. It's tedious to go thru but it can be done. What bothers me is the mail in ballots - those appear more difficult to scrutinize as we saw in the last BC elections.
Yes I know this but I think you have to go above and beyond. I aoso agree with the mail in ballots. Unfortunately , there are still those unable to vote in person for a number of reasons. The overseas ballots can also prove problematic
I think it also helpful to point out Trump's reasons for the tarriffs. Not only did the US have a huge trade deficit, it has an enormous national debt. Trump is trying to get the country back on sound footing in case of a kinetic war with China. If you don't think the latter is a real possibility, you are poorly informed. Our "strategic partnership " with China is undoubtedly a poke in the eye to Trump as well. Our responses to date, particularly by Ford and Carney, have been anything but effectual.
He's also trying to get manufacturing back to the States. It was a bad move letting manufacturing in Canada move to China, etc.. At least Trump is trying to get it back unlike Carney who could care less.
If this is true then why did Australia get hit with tariffs of 12.5% when they have a trade DEFICIT with the US? Trump is arbitrary (not to mention irrational) but he HAS to win, no matter who he is dealing with. There is essentially NO possibility of a fair deal with the US, only a level of capitulation.
I have no idea why Trump did what he did with Australia. Did they poke him in the eye someway? Trump plays to win, for sure. (Read Art of the Deal.) I think, though, that if you change your lens from victim (capitulation) to strategist, you would see what Lilley is advocating has merit. We have allowed ourselves to be dictated to by the dairy cartel, which is another irritant to the US, and results in high prices for Canadian consumers. We do have leverage in several different sectors. The question is, are we willing to use it?
You know exactly why Trump did it to Australia. Because he thinks he can get away with it. Australia answered every call that America made to go to war, purchased USD billions for submarines that they will likely never receive, had a trade deficit with the US and did nothing to provoke the US EXCEPT have the audacity of selling pharmaceutical drugs to the US. So they get tariffs - just like every other of the US “allies”. Everything is transactional to Trump, loyalty only flows one way and signed agreements mean nothing to him. Negotiate with that? LOL - good luck with that. Lilley is no trade expert, he just makes his talking points and expects for his readers to complain. The US sells ~ 1.0 billion USD of cheese and dairy products to Canada annually and Canada sells about 90 million USD annually to the US. You believe Trump actually cares about the dairy issue? He doesn’t, he wants to pressure Canada so he can hurt our industries and create dissent here so that he and his tech oligarchs can profit from our pain. There is no negotiating with that. Only protecting ourselves and diversifying our trade to other countries that actually respect us. One more thing, art of the deal? LOL how is that working out for Trump in Iran?
I actually do not know why Trump behaved as he did towards Australia and I'm not sure you do, either. What is apparent is that you are very aggrieved and believe Trump has nefarious reasons for imposing tarriffs. I'm guessing if Trump had not tried repeatedly to negotiate with Iran, you'd blame him for that, too. The US is our biggest trading partner and we share a continent with them. I say, Don't burn our bridges!
I didn’t just make this up. I heard it from multiple Aussies. Nefarious reasons for tariffs? Really? Trump and his family has grifted over USD 4 billion since he came into office in his 2nd term. He is not even bothering to hide it anymore. Trump doesn’t honour written agreements and he has blown up all the bridges to Canada. But go ahead and negotiate - but be prepared to diversify our trade to other countries. But on your last point - Iran isn’t negotiating with him, the war isn’t some business deal where he stiffs the contractor for payment and then threatens to take him to court. Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz and also the Bab Al-Mendez Strait so virtually no oil is coming from the Gulf States. And Trump can’t do anything about that. The oil market is going to be severely disrupted and Trump can’t stop it.
If Carney was willing to use any leverage do you not think those negotiations would have happened already. Carney has other plans that he deems unnecessary to reveal. No “need to know”.
Agreed on the China comment. That strategic agreement with China has never been explained. I don’t believe Carney deems it necessary to inform Canadians of any policy. But we have to accept any and all of them. This agreement has to be of concern to the US. Whether the agreement is based on geographic importance, infiltration through trade or defence and national security, Trump is right. China is a threat and the US is part of their plan to displace their position as super power. But then what is China?
Trump is fighting for his country (although his presence lacks tact). Carneys priority is selling Canada. He has no idea how to be a politician let alone a PM. It’s obvious that boardroom settings are his forte. People and economics are not.
You have to wonder how much influence the Laurentien elite will continue to have shaping the future of this country though. Trey seem to be minimizing decision making. Dairy. Military contracts. Major projects (rapid rail. Hydro projects. Etc etc etc
If only Carney truly wanted a deal Brian. I believe you are correct & it can be achieved. To do that though we would actually have to sit down at the negotiating table & Canada has been unwilling to do that. Carney wants to continue to make Trump that bad man cause there is so much TDS in Canada it has worked well for him at the polls. I truly believe Pierre could & would do better.
You've hit the nail on the head with this comment: "Mark Carney has been playing political games with the Americans because, even though he knows it hurts the Canadian economy, he also knows it helps him and the Liberals politically." Canadians must address their long-standing anti-American sentiments. Confess to it, and change it, STAT. That attitude is not helping us, nor is it hurting Americans. In fact, I think Pres Trump is rubbing our noses in our anti-Americanism. and enjoying the show.
Canadians need to confess their long-standing anti-American sentiments? WTF does that mean? Do you mean go grovelling to Trump and beg for forgiveness? Good luck with that.
No, that's not what it means. What it does mean is that we (you, for example) need to get over ourselves, get out of our own way. Stop shooting ourselves in the foot because 'trump trump trump trump'. Change attitudes. Sadly, for far too many idiots that translates into 'grovelling to Trump'. Read Brian's column, get your head straight.
Stop getting in our own way? We are already selling them oil, natural gas, potash, uranium, steel, aluminum, on and on and on. That doesn’t mean we should take Trump’s tariffs without pushback. In case you hadn’t noticed, Trump is tariffing the world so the US can “win”. Australia has a trade deficit with the US but they get hit with 12.5% tariffs for the privilege of selling some of there goods to the US. Just like all other “allies” of the US. Is this rational? No, it’s not. Other countries don’t need to just capitulate to Trump, they just need to pivot away and work with each other. I’d say that Carney is doing a good job of that - and I don’t need trade “experts” like Lilley to go on and on about how we can’t get out of our own way. And no one is saying to cut off all trade with the US, just reduce the level of our reliance.
PM Carney’s to hire an American Democrat to run our Canadian PMO, and opening up our market to China electric cars to spite the Americans have paid great dividends for the Liberals. For Canadians - Not so much. These two idiotic moves are proof positive that Carney and the Liberals do not want a trade deal with the world’s largest by far economy. You had best believe that all of the armchair trade experts on social media with pensions and paid off mortgages could care less if the Canadian economy continues its slide to oblivion. They won’t be affected. 👍 As long as they can get their jollies from fighting the bad orange man. 🤦 🤦♀️
Oh, come on! This rhetoric directed towards the older/retired generation is getting old. Get past false data and the real reason that Trudeau/ Carney keep staying in power. No Canadian nor the country itself benefits from any of their policies or mandates. Do a little research and understand the world we live in now, and who Carney answers to. Certainly NOT ANY Canadian citizen. Unless you belong to the elite 1%. Old, middle age, young. Money is power. People are insignificant in the big scheme of things.
So a deal to allow 49,000 cars annually into Canada in exchange for China buying billions in canola and seafood products is going to crash the Canadian economy? That’s quite a stretch, even for a far right wing rage baiter.
You are spot on. This whole mess began with Trudeau’s globalist, anti American policies, exacerbated by the mom existent China/fentanyl cooperation, and then the cherry on the top with Carney running for PM on an anti Trump platform. You have identified nearly every hot point and the strength of Canada’s position as a partner in achieving the common goals and benefits to both nations. Please consider running for PM next election. You bring exactly what Canada needs. Common sense and the vision of what’s important and possible.
I am not anti-American, I am anti-liberal. Carney is a arrogant self-serving snot. Canada is not his priority. He thinks he's such a clever economist & negotiator but he keeps proving everyday that he's not. We don't need this European in our country..time for him to go
Open up all borders provincial and federal and don’t be afraid yo compete!!! This will than be to teal free trade and dump the supply management system
We should resurrect the Energy-East pipeline (or something similar) so we can send our oil to Europe who badly need it. Getting access to European markets is long overdue
Europe doesn’t want our oil. Quebec doesn’t want it either. But we can build an LNG export terminal in Churchill and ship that to Europe. That project should be next on the to do list.
And when is this project going to break ground? In 2050 when the Liberal High Speed Rail has sucked 10s of billions of $ from taxpayers to Liberal insiders, and the maritime Liberal rocket launch pad is sending rockets to Uranus? By that time - Canada as we know it will be long gone. “Building at speeds never seen before” indeed 😵💫 We are no longer a serious nation.
Why don’t you ask the Germans who have committed to buying tens of billions of dollars of LNG from Canada on the 20 year supply contract if they wish to invest in LNG infrastructure in Churchill? I’ll say that they likely will and will want to build it asap. Man, you naysayers just don’t get it. If Justin Trudeau was still PM that statement might have some merit - but news alert JT is long gone!
Wouldn't that be something, if our government could just exercise common sense as was so clearly laid out? We might even start being prrouctive and growing our GDP again, without scamming the numbers with uncontrolled immigration!
The only point I would ammend, is to utterly purge the supply management scheme that has been a sticking point for the US, as well as an inflated expense for Canadian consumers. And for what? To protect a relatively small number of dairy and poultry producers. It's time to end it, and stop dumping milk, and let them compete like every other industry. ALL parties need to grow a set and just end it!
Why do we assume that Carney wants a deal? The failure of negotiations will harm Canadians but there is no political cost to him or his party if most of them proceed to blame Trump. Is his own wealth not mostly elsewhere?
He prefers Europe and he has made that clear. He may be underestimating the cost of alienating the US and allowing China to believe it can penetrate even more deeply into Canada.
No Big War has ever been fought here but there is always a first time.
Very very well written, bang on perspectives…… now consider some of the aspects that Susan Kolkinda (Sp?) of Promethean Action brings up. America is trying to disrupt long standing Globalist agendas….. MC and those closest to him are dedicated to this. We are at a critical juncture and still no softening from MC…… there is far more than elements of Trade involved here.
Yes. I could not cover all the angles in one comment without creating a book. I have seen many of Promethean's videos. They are quite intense in their depth. Takes a bit of time for me because I prefer to check and confirm things myself. Thanks.
I completely agree and while we’re at it, could we please throw in dairy?? I’m so sick of these extortionate prices and crappy butter.
Canadians have been led to believe that American milk is somehow unsafe—a message promoted for years by the dairy cartel. The issue is also political influence. The dairy cartel has enough clout to keep high tariffs in place, at least until voters decide to use their ballots to change the political incentives.
Even as a kid I remember Canadians going across the border for milk, cheese and gas. That was the norm for years, until liberals decimated our dollar so badly.
Once you’ve tasted KerryGold, there is no looking back.
So I understand, but who can afford it?
It’s less expensive than our butter—just requires a wee excursion south.
Do you have to pay duty on it when you bring it across the border?
Do you really believe fair voting is even an option now?
Not federally
I wonder if people (voters) in each municipality could demand an account of each riding’s tally. And also have each party’s rep make the vote count public. Then post the results in the papers, social media and local tv stations. I know that there were questionable tactics revealed by the volunteers at the last federal voting stations…across Canada. Maybe that’s something the voters can demand.
That information should be available on the Elections Canada website already. It's tedious to go thru but it can be done. What bothers me is the mail in ballots - those appear more difficult to scrutinize as we saw in the last BC elections.
Yes I know this but I think you have to go above and beyond. I aoso agree with the mail in ballots. Unfortunately , there are still those unable to vote in person for a number of reasons. The overseas ballots can also prove problematic
I think it also helpful to point out Trump's reasons for the tarriffs. Not only did the US have a huge trade deficit, it has an enormous national debt. Trump is trying to get the country back on sound footing in case of a kinetic war with China. If you don't think the latter is a real possibility, you are poorly informed. Our "strategic partnership " with China is undoubtedly a poke in the eye to Trump as well. Our responses to date, particularly by Ford and Carney, have been anything but effectual.
He's also trying to get manufacturing back to the States. It was a bad move letting manufacturing in Canada move to China, etc.. At least Trump is trying to get it back unlike Carney who could care less.
Agreed 💯. We should also be encouraging entrepreneurship in this country instead of standing in the way....
If this is true then why did Australia get hit with tariffs of 12.5% when they have a trade DEFICIT with the US? Trump is arbitrary (not to mention irrational) but he HAS to win, no matter who he is dealing with. There is essentially NO possibility of a fair deal with the US, only a level of capitulation.
I have no idea why Trump did what he did with Australia. Did they poke him in the eye someway? Trump plays to win, for sure. (Read Art of the Deal.) I think, though, that if you change your lens from victim (capitulation) to strategist, you would see what Lilley is advocating has merit. We have allowed ourselves to be dictated to by the dairy cartel, which is another irritant to the US, and results in high prices for Canadian consumers. We do have leverage in several different sectors. The question is, are we willing to use it?
You know exactly why Trump did it to Australia. Because he thinks he can get away with it. Australia answered every call that America made to go to war, purchased USD billions for submarines that they will likely never receive, had a trade deficit with the US and did nothing to provoke the US EXCEPT have the audacity of selling pharmaceutical drugs to the US. So they get tariffs - just like every other of the US “allies”. Everything is transactional to Trump, loyalty only flows one way and signed agreements mean nothing to him. Negotiate with that? LOL - good luck with that. Lilley is no trade expert, he just makes his talking points and expects for his readers to complain. The US sells ~ 1.0 billion USD of cheese and dairy products to Canada annually and Canada sells about 90 million USD annually to the US. You believe Trump actually cares about the dairy issue? He doesn’t, he wants to pressure Canada so he can hurt our industries and create dissent here so that he and his tech oligarchs can profit from our pain. There is no negotiating with that. Only protecting ourselves and diversifying our trade to other countries that actually respect us. One more thing, art of the deal? LOL how is that working out for Trump in Iran?
I actually do not know why Trump behaved as he did towards Australia and I'm not sure you do, either. What is apparent is that you are very aggrieved and believe Trump has nefarious reasons for imposing tarriffs. I'm guessing if Trump had not tried repeatedly to negotiate with Iran, you'd blame him for that, too. The US is our biggest trading partner and we share a continent with them. I say, Don't burn our bridges!
Let's negotiate!
I didn’t just make this up. I heard it from multiple Aussies. Nefarious reasons for tariffs? Really? Trump and his family has grifted over USD 4 billion since he came into office in his 2nd term. He is not even bothering to hide it anymore. Trump doesn’t honour written agreements and he has blown up all the bridges to Canada. But go ahead and negotiate - but be prepared to diversify our trade to other countries. But on your last point - Iran isn’t negotiating with him, the war isn’t some business deal where he stiffs the contractor for payment and then threatens to take him to court. Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz and also the Bab Al-Mendez Strait so virtually no oil is coming from the Gulf States. And Trump can’t do anything about that. The oil market is going to be severely disrupted and Trump can’t stop it.
That's a BIG accusation. You must have evidence of this massive grifting other than word of mouth?
If Carney was willing to use any leverage do you not think those negotiations would have happened already. Carney has other plans that he deems unnecessary to reveal. No “need to know”.
So if the Americans get a slightly better deal you are against it and want all Canadians to pay the price for our politician’s egos?
What slightly better deal for the Americans? They want Canada over a barrel and a clear win. There is no “slightly better” deal.
Agreed on the China comment. That strategic agreement with China has never been explained. I don’t believe Carney deems it necessary to inform Canadians of any policy. But we have to accept any and all of them. This agreement has to be of concern to the US. Whether the agreement is based on geographic importance, infiltration through trade or defence and national security, Trump is right. China is a threat and the US is part of their plan to displace their position as super power. But then what is China?
Trump is fighting for his country (although his presence lacks tact). Carneys priority is selling Canada. He has no idea how to be a politician let alone a PM. It’s obvious that boardroom settings are his forte. People and economics are not.
You have to wonder how much influence the Laurentien elite will continue to have shaping the future of this country though. Trey seem to be minimizing decision making. Dairy. Military contracts. Major projects (rapid rail. Hydro projects. Etc etc etc
If only Carney truly wanted a deal Brian. I believe you are correct & it can be achieved. To do that though we would actually have to sit down at the negotiating table & Canada has been unwilling to do that. Carney wants to continue to make Trump that bad man cause there is so much TDS in Canada it has worked well for him at the polls. I truly believe Pierre could & would do better.
Agree 100%.
You've hit the nail on the head with this comment: "Mark Carney has been playing political games with the Americans because, even though he knows it hurts the Canadian economy, he also knows it helps him and the Liberals politically." Canadians must address their long-standing anti-American sentiments. Confess to it, and change it, STAT. That attitude is not helping us, nor is it hurting Americans. In fact, I think Pres Trump is rubbing our noses in our anti-Americanism. and enjoying the show.
Canadians need to confess their long-standing anti-American sentiments? WTF does that mean? Do you mean go grovelling to Trump and beg for forgiveness? Good luck with that.
No, that's not what it means. What it does mean is that we (you, for example) need to get over ourselves, get out of our own way. Stop shooting ourselves in the foot because 'trump trump trump trump'. Change attitudes. Sadly, for far too many idiots that translates into 'grovelling to Trump'. Read Brian's column, get your head straight.
Agree!
Stop getting in our own way? We are already selling them oil, natural gas, potash, uranium, steel, aluminum, on and on and on. That doesn’t mean we should take Trump’s tariffs without pushback. In case you hadn’t noticed, Trump is tariffing the world so the US can “win”. Australia has a trade deficit with the US but they get hit with 12.5% tariffs for the privilege of selling some of there goods to the US. Just like all other “allies” of the US. Is this rational? No, it’s not. Other countries don’t need to just capitulate to Trump, they just need to pivot away and work with each other. I’d say that Carney is doing a good job of that - and I don’t need trade “experts” like Lilley to go on and on about how we can’t get out of our own way. And no one is saying to cut off all trade with the US, just reduce the level of our reliance.
PM Carney’s to hire an American Democrat to run our Canadian PMO, and opening up our market to China electric cars to spite the Americans have paid great dividends for the Liberals. For Canadians - Not so much. These two idiotic moves are proof positive that Carney and the Liberals do not want a trade deal with the world’s largest by far economy. You had best believe that all of the armchair trade experts on social media with pensions and paid off mortgages could care less if the Canadian economy continues its slide to oblivion. They won’t be affected. 👍 As long as they can get their jollies from fighting the bad orange man. 🤦 🤦♀️
Well said.
Oh, come on! This rhetoric directed towards the older/retired generation is getting old. Get past false data and the real reason that Trudeau/ Carney keep staying in power. No Canadian nor the country itself benefits from any of their policies or mandates. Do a little research and understand the world we live in now, and who Carney answers to. Certainly NOT ANY Canadian citizen. Unless you belong to the elite 1%. Old, middle age, young. Money is power. People are insignificant in the big scheme of things.
So a deal to allow 49,000 cars annually into Canada in exchange for China buying billions in canola and seafood products is going to crash the Canadian economy? That’s quite a stretch, even for a far right wing rage baiter.
I think he means “using the leverage” to benefit both parties. 😉
I agree Brian. The political posturing of the Liberals is very detrimental to trade negotiations and they are using it to stay in power.
You are spot on. This whole mess began with Trudeau’s globalist, anti American policies, exacerbated by the mom existent China/fentanyl cooperation, and then the cherry on the top with Carney running for PM on an anti Trump platform. You have identified nearly every hot point and the strength of Canada’s position as a partner in achieving the common goals and benefits to both nations. Please consider running for PM next election. You bring exactly what Canada needs. Common sense and the vision of what’s important and possible.
Perfect, Mr. Lilley. 👍
I am not anti-American, I am anti-liberal. Carney is a arrogant self-serving snot. Canada is not his priority. He thinks he's such a clever economist & negotiator but he keeps proving everyday that he's not. We don't need this European in our country..time for him to go
Should put you in charge of the negotiations.
Carney doesn’t want to negotiate and Canadians pay the price for
His arrogance and mismanagement.
Bang on Maggie!
Open up all borders provincial and federal and don’t be afraid yo compete!!! This will than be to teal free trade and dump the supply management system
We should resurrect the Energy-East pipeline (or something similar) so we can send our oil to Europe who badly need it. Getting access to European markets is long overdue
Europe doesn’t want our oil. Quebec doesn’t want it either. But we can build an LNG export terminal in Churchill and ship that to Europe. That project should be next on the to do list.
And when is this project going to break ground? In 2050 when the Liberal High Speed Rail has sucked 10s of billions of $ from taxpayers to Liberal insiders, and the maritime Liberal rocket launch pad is sending rockets to Uranus? By that time - Canada as we know it will be long gone. “Building at speeds never seen before” indeed 😵💫 We are no longer a serious nation.
Why don’t you ask the Germans who have committed to buying tens of billions of dollars of LNG from Canada on the 20 year supply contract if they wish to invest in LNG infrastructure in Churchill? I’ll say that they likely will and will want to build it asap. Man, you naysayers just don’t get it. If Justin Trudeau was still PM that statement might have some merit - but news alert JT is long gone!
Germany wants our oil and so does Japan.
Fine we can sell our oil and LNG to Germany and Japan. But that doesn’t mean that we will let them use it as a political weapon against us.
The indigenous communities will block any attempts at pipelines or mining. Both detrimental to the ecology. Unless China asks..
Wise words. Let's hope someone in the Canadian Government listens. It's time to do what is right for both partners.
From your mouth to a completely deaf Carney’s ear…
Wouldn't that be something, if our government could just exercise common sense as was so clearly laid out? We might even start being prrouctive and growing our GDP again, without scamming the numbers with uncontrolled immigration!
The only point I would ammend, is to utterly purge the supply management scheme that has been a sticking point for the US, as well as an inflated expense for Canadian consumers. And for what? To protect a relatively small number of dairy and poultry producers. It's time to end it, and stop dumping milk, and let them compete like every other industry. ALL parties need to grow a set and just end it!
Why do we assume that Carney wants a deal? The failure of negotiations will harm Canadians but there is no political cost to him or his party if most of them proceed to blame Trump. Is his own wealth not mostly elsewhere?
He prefers Europe and he has made that clear. He may be underestimating the cost of alienating the US and allowing China to believe it can penetrate even more deeply into Canada.
No Big War has ever been fought here but there is always a first time.
Very very well written, bang on perspectives…… now consider some of the aspects that Susan Kolkinda (Sp?) of Promethean Action brings up. America is trying to disrupt long standing Globalist agendas….. MC and those closest to him are dedicated to this. We are at a critical juncture and still no softening from MC…… there is far more than elements of Trade involved here.
Yes. I could not cover all the angles in one comment without creating a book. I have seen many of Promethean's videos. They are quite intense in their depth. Takes a bit of time for me because I prefer to check and confirm things myself. Thanks.