Man Shows Love of Country by Waving American Flag. Patriotic Cowboy.
Patrick Meagher
Farmers Forum
OTTAWA — Donald Trump is not yet the president of the United States and already his plans are shaking things up. He will be president on Jan. 20 and has threatened to impose a 25 % tariff on Mexican and Canadian goods. Word of caution: this is not nearly as bad as the many whining voices are making it out to be.
The Canadian American Business Council CEO Beth Burke said that Trump’s proposal would harm businesses on both sides of the border and would “erode the economic and geopolitical strength of North America.” Premier Doug Ford said that the 25 % tariff would be “devastating.”
Sure, it would be devastating but the 25 % tariff is not going to happen and he knows it. Why politicians continue to fan the flames of fear surprises me.
Here is what this is all about. The threat of a 25 % tariff is only if both countries don’t secure their borders to stop illegal immigration and the movement of the killer drug fentanyl. The 25 % tariff is an opening gambit, meaning negotiations with both countries start there. It also means that the tariff will come down with every compromise that Trump gets for America.
For the record, what Trump wants – a secure Canadian border — is actually good public policy for Canada as well. So, it’s going to take Trump to fix our country too.
An Ontario farmer had one of the best takes on the possible 25 % tariff. He posted this on X: “It’s sabre rattling… same as he did last time. Trade relations are quite complex… lots of give and take. Don’t panic, but our government should have been prepared for this.”
A very reasonable man. That doesn’t make for a frightening headline but then this Ontario crop farmer’s X feed isn’t subsidized by the federal Liberal government and isn’t motivated by click bait.
Biased reports forget to tell you that more than 70 per cent of Canadian and Mexican exports go to the United States so it is also in Trump’s interest that Americans can continue to buy Canadian and Mexican products. The trade imbalance acts as leverage. Too many people overlook the real possibility that Trump’s move could be what Canadians need for our Prime Minister to drop the carbon tax once and for all. It might also encourage our federal government to relax our own made-at-home trade barriers between provinces.
Another beautiful way around any tariff is for Canada to dump some of its heavy policy restrictions on Canadian businesses. Also, Trump plans to open up more oil drilling, which will pressure Canada to reflect on the pipelines it shelved. Any new flow of oil will mean another price break at the pump.
We should also not forget that President Trump wants some of that Canadian oil. That’s a big fat Canadian bargaining chip.
Those who continue to fear Trump need to breathe and realize he’s not the monster that the Democrats and their news media networks say that he is. He has already racked up these accomplishments before he has even stepped into office:
- Mexico agrees to end migrant caravans;
- Canada agrees to tighten its border;
- The U.S. stock market and Bitcoin rocket upward after election;
- China stock market takes a dip and Chinese president Xi Jinping calls for ‘peace’ with America;
- Companies agree to move production back to the U.S.;
- Putin agrees to Trump peace deal in Ukraine;
- Putin backs selling oil in U.S. dollars;
- Ukraine President Zelensky agrees to peace talks;
- The European Union shifts to buying U.S. gas;
- Israel agrees to a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon.
We haven’t even discussed the notion that social and security issues are more important and out of their secured peace and liberty flow economic opportunities. Trump is clearly on the side of peace (there were no wars under Trump) and on social issues Trump is clearly on the side of real science.
So, let’s all take a deep breath and remind ourselves that a 25 per cent tariff is negotiation bluster.
