Editor,
Hoekstra, Vance, Trump don’t like Canada.
Before you get into this, I want you to know that I have no issues with the American voters, especially those who were hoodwinked by Trump’s populist rhetoric to vote for him. We are all victims of the Trump administration.
As a dual Canadian/US citizen, I am embarrassed. I write this to vent some of the frustrations that have been building. Some say that talking and writing helps you be more stoic about things not in your control. I hope that is true. About that.. I’ll wait and see.
US Ambassador Hoekstra complains that Canada is meddling in US politics by pushing back on Trump’s tariffs. Canadians agree with Reagan who explained how harmful the tariffs are. The US ambassador seems annoyed that Canada is turning to other trade and defense partners (S. Korea, Germany, Sweden, UK, China, India, etc.) He ignores how Trump’s rhetoric and disrespect of the Canadian PM interfered in Canadian electoral politics. As an ambassador, he is doing a terrible job trying to improve CA:US relations. I am not sure why the current PM and the Canadian business community tolerates this foul mouthed Trump fan boy.
US Vice President Vance thinks that Canada’s Standard of living (as measured by GDP alone) is worsened by progressive immigration and refugee policies. GDP is not the only metric that should be used. Universal Health Care, Education, Income equality, Gender equality, Social equality, Religious and Cultural tolerance, Diversity and Climate are important issues to be factored into a citizen’s prosperity, happiness and Standard of Living. Many of those issues are of little or no importance to Vance or Trump.
US President Trump has pissed off Canadians in five big ways.
First, He thinks that that Canada should be the US 51st state and have a Governor.
Second, He thinks that the Trade balance between Canada and US is a measure of Canada’s “ripping off” the US. He simply can’t understand and ignores the fact that the US has more money and more people who want to buy Canadian oil, lumber, steel, aluminum, minerals and auto parts. His tariff/tax solution hurts US consumers and Canadian suppliers alike. It is plain to see that it affects US consumer affordability just as much and Canadians. Canada has a way forward by finding willing free trade partners in other parts of the world. But, the US is stuck with Trump’s isolationist policies and tariff taxes until he is gone or is forced to recant from being the “tariff-boy”.
Third, He thinks Canada and NATO should have much expanded military spending and should buy most of the military gear from the US. In this, he may have a point about the spending but not the sourcing. Canada should invest more in the military to protect its northern sovereignty from US, China and Russia threats and incursions. Other countries and Canada’s own military industry have equipment on par with the US products.
Fourth, Trump’s notion of peacekeeping for Palestinians and Ukrainians favours the Bully and Strongman philosophy. But “Might does not make right”. Peace-loving peoples were not raised to think that way.
Fifth, He does not abide by the rule of law. He pardons criminals, even murderers, he ignores judges who rule against him. He has an army of lawyers, whose sole mission is to refute, delay and appeal the 530+ law suits against him. He stacked the US Supreme Court with loyalists who he expects will save him from all his unethical acts.
Trump has surrounded himself with loyalists like Vance, Hoekstra et Al. His administration feeds on each others ignorance, intolerance, lack of humanity, righteousness, greed and criminality. Nothing they do or say or think is worth our attention.
Every time they talk about Canada they make Canadians dislike them even more.
It is so frustrating and unnecessary.
Three more years will be tough to live through.
Will our Stoicism endure or explode?
Dave MacDougall, Meaford
