On Monday, Donald Trump once again announced a series of massive tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China. I say “once again” because we already went through this a month ago, and Trump backed down like an idiot drama queen. This week’s tariff announcement immediately tanked the stock market, with the Dow dropping 700 points on Tuesday, sending global markets into a tailspin. Hours before Trump’s State of the Union address, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressed the international media and the American public:
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday called American tariffs “very dumb” and said that U.S. President Donald Trump is appeasing Russia while launching a trade war against Canada. In a blunt news conference during his final days in office, Trudeau said that Canada would plaster retaliatory tariffs on more than $100 billion of American goods in response to Trump’s 25% tariffs.
“Today the United States launched a trade war against Canada, their closest partner and ally, their closest friend. At the same time, they are talking about working positively with Russia, appeasing Vladimir Putin, a lying, murderous dictator. Make that make sense,” a visibly angry Trudeau said.
Trump imposed tariffs against Washington’s three biggest trading partners, drawing immediate retaliation from Mexico, Canada and China and sending financial markets into a tailspin. Just after midnight, Trump put 25% taxes, or tariffs, on Mexican and Canadian imports, though he limited the levy to 10% on Canadian energy.
“What he wants to see is a total collapse of the Canadian economy because that will make it easier to annex us,” Trudeau said. “That is never going to happen. We will never be the 51st state. I want to speak directly to one specific American, Donald. It’s not in my habit to agree with the Wall Street Journal, but Donald, they point out that even though you’re a very smart guy, this is a very dumb thing to do.”
Later Tuesday, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the U.S. would likely meet Canada and Mexico “in the middle,” with an announcement coming as soon as Wednesday.
Lutnick told Fox Business News that the tariffs would not be paused, but that Trump would reach a compromise. “I think he’s going to figure out, you do more, and I’ll meet you in the middle in some way,” Lutnick said.
It’s the immediate backtrack by Lutnick for me – that’s exactly what happened a month ago. Trump announced tariffs, Trudeau and Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo reacted with anger and disgust, and Trump backed down. At the SOTU last night, Trump also promised to do it again next month, to add even more tariffs on April 2nd. Here’s the thing – while it’s great to see average, everyday citizens to protest Trump and the Republicans, the Trump cultists are not going to stop this sh-t until they hear from the business class, their donors and the only political base they care about. Rupert Murdoch is trying to communicate with Trump through the Wall Street Journal, and I have to wonder when the Republican donor class will flat-out demand that Trump quit the theatrics. As for Trudeau… I feel so sorry for all of America’s allies, especially Canada. It’s like they’re just trying to exist and the crackheads who live in the basement keep breaking into their apartment to steal sh-t.
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.
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- Closing Ceremony of the 2025 Invictus Games at the Rogers Arena Featuring: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Where: Vancouver, Canada When: 16 Feb 2025 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Justin Trudeau joins Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex at the indoor rowing during Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 in Canada Featuring: Justin Trudeau Where: Vancouver, Canada When: 16 Feb 2025 Credit: Dutch Press Photo/Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE NETHERLANDS OR FRANCE**
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- Closing Ceremony in Rogers Arena during Invictus Games Featuring: Justin Trudeau Where: Vancouver, Canada When: 16 Feb 2025 Credit: Dutch Press Photo/Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE NETHERLANDS OR FRANCE**
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- President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy meets with Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau during a briefing at the Support Ukraine Summit Featuring: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Justin Trudeau Where: Kyiv, Ukraine When: 24 Feb 2025 Credit: Ukrinform/Cover Images **UK AND USA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- King Charles III meets Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the Sandringham Estate Featuring: King Charles III and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Where: Sandringham, United Kingdom When: 03 Mar 2025 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- King Charles III meets Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the Sandringham Estate Featuring: King Charles III and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Where: Sandringham, United Kingdom When: 03 Mar 2025 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
Anyone looking into how much his buddies are making every time he tanks the stock market and then retracts his statements to allow it to recover?
Thanks for this perspective
Trump is bought and paid for by Putin – he’s doing exactly what Putin wants him to do. Everything he can to destabilize the West.
He was doing that his first term now he’s doing it every day
So Trump thinks starting and stopping the tariffs is some kind of smart strategy. It’s massive uncertainty on steroids every month! The world economy cannot function like this. I am just an old lady in my bathrobe who once took a course in economics. And even I know that uncertainty causes instability in the markets. But our “genius” president presses on.
Canadians are pissed. There is a growing sentiment of “rather die Canadian than live as an American.” Don’t feel sorry for us, do something about the mess.
Elbows up, eh?
Elbows up, buy Canadian as much as possible, cancel memberships to things like Prime, and so on. Heck, I even dropped my trip to the US later this year (I wanted to go to the Grand Canyon) to stay here in Canada instead.
What does elbows up mean? I keep seeing it and I can’t find a good explanation.
I’m assuming it’s a hockey thing.
I’m a Canadian citizen as well as a New Zealander and I’m so proud of my second country. Trudeau has been excellent. And everyone is rallying round. I don’t think Trump knows what he’s unleashed.
Jas elbows Up is a hockey terms that means to defend yourself and also your teammates even though it is a fight that you did not start.
Yeah, it’s a hockey thing based on the GOAT, Gordie Howe. Without getting into the nitty gritty details of hockey, and similar to what Scotia Girl was saying. It’s kind of a “get ready to fight, and fight dirty” (throw an elbow when you’re checking someone in the corner because it might not be seen and thus not get a penalty). A hockey buff may correct me on this.
Additionally, it might be wise to look at Canadian combat history. Someone down thread mentioned burning down the WH. We have also been described as “vicious” with a history of war crimes. If I recall correctly, the Geneva Convention was brought in part due to our behaviour in WWI. We’re generally known as peace keepers, and we are. But, don’t poke the bear.
Yep, I deleted my whole Amazon account and cancelled Netflix. I check every single label to make sure I’m buying from Canada, Mexico, or Europe. It’s the only thing I can do with my seething rage for now, but I’m doing it.
Thank you everyone for the explanations.
I’m living way down here in New Zealand, but you all have my best wishes. I’m feeling patriotic and a little homesick right now.
That’s why the lack of protest by the Americans is starting to piss off canadians. The people in Vermont did something but where are the huge protests like in 2017? Meanwhile orange ass is doing far more damage than he has ever done.
People in border states will feel it right away. Many industries are integrated like the American auto industry.
There are protests going on all over the country on a regular basis. They’re not being widely covered, but they’re happening. My county seat has had several protests so far, the state capitol has had a few, etc. Americans are protesting even if its not being covered.
Free press has fallen. The oligarchs that control the media are only allowing reporting that benefits them. People in the USA are protesting, even in my dark red corner of the Bible Belt. The protests have stayed calm and are happening everywhere.
We are and let me just rant for a minute. As soon as Trudeau starts speaking French, CNN coverage just…talks over him. What, you can’t just throw up some subtitles? Believe it or not, just because he’s talking in another language doesn’t make what he’s saying inconsequential! I found that so irritating.
I’m Canadian. People here are as furious as I’ve ever seen them. The one good thing is that our own Trump wannabe is now tanking in the polls and hopefully won’t be elected Prime Minister later this year.
New Yorker here. To our Canadian brothers and sisters, please know the vast majority of Americans harbor no animosity toward Canada, and we certainly don’t support this stupid trade war. Thank you for taking American goods off your shelves; maybe it will get American corporations to rise up against Trump – since the voices of concerned citizens don’t matter anymore. I to I like to imagine that when a less handsome man is elected Canada’s PM, Trump will back off. He’s a jealous, petty narcissist.
I think most Canadians know that most Americans are not on board for this, but the loudest American voices right now are the Fox idiots, and the obnoxious NYT editorialists who treat the annexation of our country like a fun thought experiment.
Canada, we got this. Buy Canadian and buy Mexican.
This is awful but I WANT Canada and other countries to retaliate. That might wake some people up.
I’m Australian and I am hoping against hope that our own Trump wannabe’s ratings plunge as a consequence of the US nonsense (we have a national election happening too soon for comfort).
It’s like Kaiser wrote. We’re just trying to exist and it feels like he wants to crush different people in different ways. I’m so angry, Canadians are so angry. I’ve stopped buying American products. I hope this stops because of the mental stress it’s causing, but I’ll tell you the damage of this will last for years. Even if there are just back and forth with words about tariffs, there’s significant damage done to the trust between Canadians and the American state.
Trudeau’s whole speech plus the Q&A afterwards was good to watch, him directing a very visible but contained anger towards Felon47’s maladministration while explaining the consequences of putting tariffs on goods will have on the US economy, on consumer prices, on jobs *in the US*.
As I already said in a reply to someone on DonOLD’s thread —
Watching Trudeau yesterday made me hopeful, the way he said that Canadians are hurt, insulted and angry, but that they were going to fight *dramatic pause* and win.
Sadly without anyone at the helm who’s nearly as charismatic or quick-witted as him. And yes, I’m aware of his faults, missteps and everything. But his being outspoken will be missed internationally. And him being the rare eye candy among politicians.
Mark Carney is a good egg. Maybe not as charismatic as Trudeau, but has the brains and experience. I hope he wins the party leadership and takes the election. He would be very good for Canada right now.
Carney is the exact right person we need when Trudeau leaves — he’s probably the most experienced practical economist in the world right now. If anyone can help guide us through this change, it’s Carney.
Carney isn’t a good politician yet because he’s still very new and untrained in politics. However, he has an incredible mind and given his success as an economist, I think he will do well with the right team behind him.
I will miss Trudeau. He was a solid PM who had some great moments but the global climate and his own huge missteps driven by ego and and an unwillingness to listen to advisors or the Canadian public made the push necessary.
Ironically, I think Trudeau has been far better in the role of PM since the public announcement of stepping down. Instead of focusing on his approval numbers and schemes to win back Canadian public sentiment, he has been entirely focused on the country and it’s leadership. It has reminded everyone why he was such a canny politician in the first place.
@Danbury — Carney is a VERY smart and astute man, and I think his lack of political experience may work in his favour as he doesn’t bad-mouth his opponents like many career politicians do (Pierre Poilievre comes to mind) to get their point across. He is factual, calm and the worst he’s said about PP is that he’s a lifelong politician who worships at the altar of the free market without practical business experience. If he wins I hope he includes Chrystia Freeland on his team — although their economic/financial experience and goals for Canada differ, I think they’d work well together and she’s as strong as stone. She’s certainly stood her ground against Trump.
I’m more inclined to think if the Leader election succeeds it will more likely be Freeland. She has more political experience than Carney.
I wish Freeland would win this race because she would be good at the job but I fear, standing by Justin so long and carrying water for him in certain situations like the Jody Wilson Raybould kerfuffle did her no favours with the party faithful. I think the headwinds are with Mark through the Conservatives are bound to run the Ignatieff 2.0 playbook against him and I’m already seeing ads. Sigh.
@Jaded I think if Carney wins, he would have a role open for Freeland if she wanted it. They are quite close friends outside of politics, He literally is godfather to one of her kids though who knows how this race impacts this long friendship.
Yup. Kind of wishing we hadn’t bullied Trudeau out of office right about now.
He’s been in office for 10 almost 10 years and 3 terms. I’m a dual citizen and in my home country we don’t have this long reelection periods going on so I’m more inclined to have a new person in the Goverment every once in a while.
An endless reelection make us most of the inmigrants queasy because we tend to relate it to the Royal Family, The Vatican or even some peculiar countries. I’m happy someone else will substitute him.
The downward trend in his popularity really started with the truck convoy, which we know was funded by American right wing groups.
You’re right, Nic919. It all started with the Russian/American propaganda around the convoy. The anti-vax to fascist pipeline is very apparent. Pierre Poilievre was all too happy to take advantage of that (which is now making it hard for him to be taken seriously as the person to steer Canada now. FAFO).
I sincerely hope Trudeau gets a position at the UN or an an Ambassador to Ukraine. Whatever his faults domestically, he shines as a global leader.
Yes, sir. We know. But. His supporters are idiots who fell down the conspiracy rabbithole and have no common sense, sense of self-preservation, or morals. He (Russian Q bots) somehow convinced magats that income tax is unfair and that the only fair taxes are identical in amount for everyone regardless of income. (Really talking to a magat is an experience I don’t recommend). Please boycott everything American and fight fake news. Prepare yourselves because he is deliberately going to crash the global economy.
I know that we still have friends in America, but you have to stop appeasing your own lying, criminal, cruel dictator. He is ruining your lives worse than a bad boyfriend.
Canadians are polite and kind – to a point. Read about the war of 1812 to learn how we treat the WH when we’ve been pushed too far.
Donald Duck is about to FAFO. Elbows up.
Hmm.. As a Canadian – I spend pretty much alll of my disposable income in the USA. I love going there for holiday multiple times a years…. But alas not until this boat is righted…..
It makes me so sad.
I live in a town that Canadians usually love to visit. Trudeau specifically mentioned us as a place to avoid this summer. And it sucks but I totally get it! Unfortunately we will suffer for it as much as the damn fools who voted for FOTUS.
Canadian Prime Minister (NOT GOVERNOR) Trudeau delivers a masterclass of diplomacy balanced with enough outrage and anger for being betrayed by the U.S. Thank you Sir. BTW, to the Canadians who are booing the American flag when its being displayed, please STOP doing it so quietly. I need to hear those boos all the way down here in Maryland. Please boo loudly en masse when you’re boycotting our products too. And again I want to apologize. I am so sorry our dickweed president troll is doing this to our best friends in the North.
That ‘Governor Trudeau’ stuff is amazingly offensive. Republican politicians think that’s an appropriate or ‘humorous’ way to refer to the President of one of their country’s greatest allies?
I am sure that Canadians are furious. But, try being an American. Just join the club. I was furious from 2016 to 2020. I’m furious again. This shit head is ruining America. He is a disgrace to everything America stands for.
Now, what am I doing about it? I’m giving money to Dem candidates. I’m supporting Trans causes monthly. I’m helping to host PRIDE in our town. I’m paying for the building use for PRIDE. I’m giving monthly to ACT BLUE. I”m doing the protests. Just do something to negate the orange Cheeto and his cronies.
The thing that sucks is MAGA is SO F’ING LOUD. It’s mortifying and I hate to think that this is how we look to the world.
We Canadians are resilient and resourceful. We’re even more motivated to buy Canadian and find new trading partners.
Not giving that POS any power.
The US is an enemy state and we are treating it as such. I’ve never seen such unified rage and I’m proud AF to be part of this
Been boycotting that nation and everything it produces, even American TikTokers, since Jan. It’s the only way. We don’t need ANYTHING from them. Turn off the lights!
Like was said yesterday – we want to inflict as much pain as possible
Elbows up, Canada!! 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦💪💪😃
ELBOWS UP!!
“It’s like they’re just trying to exist and the crackheads who live in the basement keep breaking into their apartment to steal sh-t.”
This is the most accurate way to describe the utter sh-t show we are living in. Thanks for the light chuckle amid the horror, Kaiser.
Robin Williams once described Canada and the US as “You’re like a really nice apartment over a meth lab.”
I boycotted travel to the states when Cheetolini was 45. Now that he’s 47 I will not set foot in that country until he’s out of office, hopefully sooner rather than later. I’m a retiree and on a fixed income — my investments are tanking because of that megalomaniac POS. Our grocery and gas prices are skyrocketing. And every day he threatens, insults and demeans my country and its leaders. You’re going to see a LOT of ‘elbows up’ here — Canadians may be nice, polite and welcoming, but 47 has gone wayyy too far. We will fight back.
Dems need to take a page from PM Trudeau; direct, to the point, and talking in a way people clearly understand. No jokes, no silly nicknames for Trump, no nonsense.
Senator Bernie Sanders has already done it…
Honestly I laughed at the video from Fox News of the orange dumb*ss in chief announcing new tariffs and they had a little graphic of the stock market going down like crazy at the bottom of the screen.
The US owns 2/3s of the world’s equity markets. If you look at most of Western Europe and Canada, for example, the U.S. is the largest foreign investor in many of these countries. Many U.S. companies employs a lot of the world . This whole thing is going to cause a downturn in the world economy, possibly a depression. That’s what some people don’t understand.