I have to greatly disagree with the tone and premise of this article. I don’t think you can beat empire and fascism by waging a nationalistic war with the US. I understand there are serious merits to leveraging our power in resources and the grid to move American policy makers but it has to be pointed towards some specific end. Otherising Americans into this “Yankee” dissolves the power dynamic between politicians and citizens. The language in this post also speaks on freezing and starving US citizens which in the context of a war, trade or otherwise, does not seem any different to the war crimes we decry in other conflicts. We don’t attack civilians because we understand that they are not responsible for the actions of their government. If we did believe this we would be ideologically aligned with Osama Bin Laden.
Another point of contention I have is with the argument about oil. You state that the oil embargo caused global prices to rise. Do you mean to say that if Canada leveraged some kind of embargo on the US the price of oil would rise as well? Because I believe it will which will also deeply hurt Canadians. Seems like a pyrrhic victory to me.
Finally the whole idea of borders and national identity seems utterly fruitless and harmful to any political project. The obsession with borders only serve empire and restrict the movement of labour. If we are being honest, and Trudeau himself has said as much, what defines us as Canadians is that we arnt American. In a sense he’s right and I still don’t care. I want to be a citizen of humanity with equal representation for everyone.
I appreciate your work in voicing your thoughts but I must disagree with it in its entirety.
Jake, I appreciate you linking to Governor Jared Polis' Tweet but the tone of its commentary is not at all the imperialism that you hinted that it is: "If it’s the choice of the people of Greenland to join the greatest country on earth, I would welcome them as our 53rd state, right after we admit Puerto Rico and Washington DC as states."
You are making a big deal of Manifest Destiny when the source of our ongoing anxiety is solely the cause of Trump and his personality cult, which remains a divisive force amongst American citizens. To whatever extent, if any, that we seek reprisals against Americans, it should be targeted upon Republican voters.
Even if Canada was capable of crippling economic sanctions against the U.S. (which would surely also be crippling to Canada, since trade provides mutual benefit), what would be the tangible and achievable end goal here? I am all for taking principled stands, but the Canada-U.S. power dynamics simply are not such that we can in any way possibly hope to achieve some kind of *permanent* change in American character. The Trump cult is a temporal problem that is limited to a specific time and place, "America’s delusions of conquest" is not a temporal problem that can be solved through a show of force that we do not have. (If you think that America is brutal enough to shove us around economically without end, how do you think it would respond with its military if we somehow "won" an economic war?)
Greenland has repeatedly stated they do not WANT to join the United States, and the Americans refuse to respect that. Jared Polis knew exactly what he was doing.
You can't assume the worst possible meaning to a statement plucked out-of-context, and furthermore equate an off-the-cuff Tweet by a state Governor (who has no foreign policy executive authority) with the tone and policy of a whole political party.
The Democratic Party is many bad things, but only one half of America is happily in thrall to a personality cult, and the other half is not. The economics-illiterate cult leader does not need to be legitimized as being a genuine representative of the will of "the Americans".
As an American, I don't think its a bad idea for Canada to retaliate in some form (especially industrially) but are the tariffs the same as cutting power with the intention of literally killing people? Genuine ask as a non-canadian, are the Tariffs that dangerous to the people of Canada? I enjoyed the article, but I'm seeking a little more perspective. Thank You.
Canada has been placed in a terrible position. Donald Trump has explicitly said that this has nothing to do with the border, and that he's using economic force to annex us. When we are threatened in such a blatant manner, we have to make it clear we're capable of returning the favour.
You forget one thing. Alberta and Saskatchewan aren't going to go along with cutting off oil and fertilizer to the US.
Alberta and now Saskatchewan just don't trust Central Canadian chattering class types to have their best interests at heart and will refuse to cooperate. The US hasn't even begun its charm offensive and already 1/3rd of Albertans are on board with being open to talking to the Americans about switching sides.
To think Canadians can take on America is a fever dream of the Laurentian Elite and old stock left wing Canadians.
To think that Canada can stand up to America without permanent consequences is just nutty.
Polling is showing that the younger, wealthier and immigrants are less enamoured with Canada. Start with building a value proposition with those groups about Canada.
Sanctions, borders, and trade are under federal jurisdiction. If the Federal government says so, the RCMP will shut everything down. If Danielle Smith and Scott Moe choose to collaborate with the annexationists, their sedition will be handled through the full force of the law.
You do realize there aren't even enough RCMP officers in Canada to manage their current work load, no? Same goes with our under staffed armed forces. If Alberta and Saskatchewan decide to ignore Ottawa, the federal government isn't strong enough in the West to impose it's will. Ottawa governs currently with the honour system.
There is no "full force of the law." There will be no consequences. If the US even hints as backing up Alberta and Saskatchewan you can forget Central Canada having any impact ever again in the West.
In the end, we are all George Grant
on abortion rights I am very much NOT George Grant
On god, I am also not George Grant
I have to greatly disagree with the tone and premise of this article. I don’t think you can beat empire and fascism by waging a nationalistic war with the US. I understand there are serious merits to leveraging our power in resources and the grid to move American policy makers but it has to be pointed towards some specific end. Otherising Americans into this “Yankee” dissolves the power dynamic between politicians and citizens. The language in this post also speaks on freezing and starving US citizens which in the context of a war, trade or otherwise, does not seem any different to the war crimes we decry in other conflicts. We don’t attack civilians because we understand that they are not responsible for the actions of their government. If we did believe this we would be ideologically aligned with Osama Bin Laden.
Another point of contention I have is with the argument about oil. You state that the oil embargo caused global prices to rise. Do you mean to say that if Canada leveraged some kind of embargo on the US the price of oil would rise as well? Because I believe it will which will also deeply hurt Canadians. Seems like a pyrrhic victory to me.
Finally the whole idea of borders and national identity seems utterly fruitless and harmful to any political project. The obsession with borders only serve empire and restrict the movement of labour. If we are being honest, and Trudeau himself has said as much, what defines us as Canadians is that we arnt American. In a sense he’s right and I still don’t care. I want to be a citizen of humanity with equal representation for everyone.
I appreciate your work in voicing your thoughts but I must disagree with it in its entirety.
Jake, I appreciate you linking to Governor Jared Polis' Tweet but the tone of its commentary is not at all the imperialism that you hinted that it is: "If it’s the choice of the people of Greenland to join the greatest country on earth, I would welcome them as our 53rd state, right after we admit Puerto Rico and Washington DC as states."
You are making a big deal of Manifest Destiny when the source of our ongoing anxiety is solely the cause of Trump and his personality cult, which remains a divisive force amongst American citizens. To whatever extent, if any, that we seek reprisals against Americans, it should be targeted upon Republican voters.
Even if Canada was capable of crippling economic sanctions against the U.S. (which would surely also be crippling to Canada, since trade provides mutual benefit), what would be the tangible and achievable end goal here? I am all for taking principled stands, but the Canada-U.S. power dynamics simply are not such that we can in any way possibly hope to achieve some kind of *permanent* change in American character. The Trump cult is a temporal problem that is limited to a specific time and place, "America’s delusions of conquest" is not a temporal problem that can be solved through a show of force that we do not have. (If you think that America is brutal enough to shove us around economically without end, how do you think it would respond with its military if we somehow "won" an economic war?)
Greenland has repeatedly stated they do not WANT to join the United States, and the Americans refuse to respect that. Jared Polis knew exactly what he was doing.
You can't assume the worst possible meaning to a statement plucked out-of-context, and furthermore equate an off-the-cuff Tweet by a state Governor (who has no foreign policy executive authority) with the tone and policy of a whole political party.
The Democratic Party is many bad things, but only one half of America is happily in thrall to a personality cult, and the other half is not. The economics-illiterate cult leader does not need to be legitimized as being a genuine representative of the will of "the Americans".
As an American, I don't think its a bad idea for Canada to retaliate in some form (especially industrially) but are the tariffs the same as cutting power with the intention of literally killing people? Genuine ask as a non-canadian, are the Tariffs that dangerous to the people of Canada? I enjoyed the article, but I'm seeking a little more perspective. Thank You.
Canada has been placed in a terrible position. Donald Trump has explicitly said that this has nothing to do with the border, and that he's using economic force to annex us. When we are threatened in such a blatant manner, we have to make it clear we're capable of returning the favour.
You forget one thing. Alberta and Saskatchewan aren't going to go along with cutting off oil and fertilizer to the US.
Alberta and now Saskatchewan just don't trust Central Canadian chattering class types to have their best interests at heart and will refuse to cooperate. The US hasn't even begun its charm offensive and already 1/3rd of Albertans are on board with being open to talking to the Americans about switching sides.
To think Canadians can take on America is a fever dream of the Laurentian Elite and old stock left wing Canadians.
To think that Canada can stand up to America without permanent consequences is just nutty.
Polling is showing that the younger, wealthier and immigrants are less enamoured with Canada. Start with building a value proposition with those groups about Canada.
Sanctions, borders, and trade are under federal jurisdiction. If the Federal government says so, the RCMP will shut everything down. If Danielle Smith and Scott Moe choose to collaborate with the annexationists, their sedition will be handled through the full force of the law.
You do realize there aren't even enough RCMP officers in Canada to manage their current work load, no? Same goes with our under staffed armed forces. If Alberta and Saskatchewan decide to ignore Ottawa, the federal government isn't strong enough in the West to impose it's will. Ottawa governs currently with the honour system.
There is no "full force of the law." There will be no consequences. If the US even hints as backing up Alberta and Saskatchewan you can forget Central Canada having any impact ever again in the West.