CAN-USA Tariff Strife (split from various pol threads)

[Altair]

SInce the govt thread is locked I'll post this here. Still relevant since it relates to pur tariff recovery.

Canada's economy grew by 3.3% annualized in the second quarter, showing sharp recovery​

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/canada-gdp-june-2026-9.7323847

For all the talk of America doing great, their deficit is high, their growth is low, the bond market is turning on them, and inflation is still not at benchmark.

And they pick now to pick a fight with us?

Start a fight from a position of weakness, thats how you win

~Don Tzu

 

[Jarnhamar]

SInce the govt thread is locked I'll post this here. Still relevant since it relates to pur tariff recovery.

Canada's economy grew by 3.3% annualized in the second quarter, showing sharp recovery​

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/canada-gdp-june-2026-9.7323847

Meanwhile

Consumer debt hits record $2.6 trillion as more Canadians fall behind on payments

Consumer debt hits record $2.6 trillion as more Canadians fall behind on payments

Total consumer debt in Canada rose to a record of over $2.6 trillion in Q2 as more Canadians fell behind on payments. Find out more here

financialpost.com

 

[tomydoom]

Yeah, my parents used Fahrenheit, but I moved to Celcius for this one.

I only remember my mom using Celsius for body temperature. That said my mom would have been in her mid 20s when the change was made, so young enough to adapt I guess. My main recollection of the change over was a speedometer conversion sticker my dad put on the dash of his brown 1975 Ford Maverick.

 

[brihard]

For all the talk of America doing great, their deficit is high, their growth is low, the bond market is turning on them, and inflation is still not at benchmark.

And they pick now to pick a fight with us?

Start a fight from a position of weakness, thats how you win

~Don Tzu

Oof. Didn’t realize ten year t bills were up more than five basis points so far today.

The Yen’s crept back up over 160/USD too. That potential U.S. treasuries sale to shore up the Yen remains a threat to U.S. federal borrowing,

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

I was in elementary school when the switch was made to metric. I am now past retirement age. So tell me people: why is it that food labeling at the grocery store indicate the cost per pound in place of pride and cost per kilo in smaller character. In fact why are there cost per pound indicated at all? Aren't we waaaaaayyyyy past the transition period/ And why does my driver license and my old military ID card say that I am 1.73 meters tall, but nobody knows what that is and I have to keep telling them that I am 5 feet 8 inches tall?

 

[Altair]

Oof. Didn’t realize ten year t bills were up more than five basis points so far today.

The Yen’s crept back up over 160/USD too. That potential U.S. treasuries sale to shore up the Yen remains a threat to U.S. federal borrowing,

We should dump ours every time the Japanese dump theirs.

But yes, the markets either don't trust inflation not to eat away at the value of the 30 year bonds or they think the US is planning to run inflation hot to shrink the size of their debt, either way, I expect 5.4 is not far away.

The carry trade from the Japanese Yen is a slow moving time bomb, and as long as inflation remains elevated and the fed cannot lower their rates, the BOJ is going to be forced to sell treasuries to prevent inflation themselves.

It would be funny if it were not so pathetically predictable.

 

[KevinB]

I only remember my mom using Celsius for body temperature. That said my mom would have been in her mid 20s when the change was made, so young enough to adapt I guess. My main recollection of the change over was a speedometer conversion sticker my dad put on the dash of his brown 1975 Ford Maverick.

‘Change’ being made was a significant period of time. I remember imperial rulers early
In school, the first metric/imperial ruler in school was for me grade 4, circa 1979/80.

I remembered the speed limit sign changes / but I had to google the actual dates.

I never realized how dragged of the ‘conversion’ was and that it was ended before full conversion.

 

[Altair]

I was in elementary school when the switch was made to metric. I am now past retirement age. So tell me people: why is it that food labeling at the grocery store indicate the cost per pound in place of pride and cost per kilo in smaller character. In fact why are there cost per pound indicated at all? Aren't we waaaaaayyyyy past the transition period/ And why does my driver license and my old military ID card say that I am 1.73 meters tall, but nobody knows what that is and I have to keep telling them that I am 5 feet 8 inches tall?

My butcher only uses Kg so I've moved to that.

It's not hard, it just takes making an effort.

 

[Altair]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-08-27/canada-current-account-surplus-hits-highest-since-2005-on-oil-surge

Canada’s current account surplus came in at more than twice economists’ expectations as crude oil and bitumen exports jumped to a record, giving the country a trade cushion ahead of an intensifying tariff dispute with the US.

The country ran a C$8.84 billion ($6.4 billion) current account surplus in the second quarter, according to data released Thursday by Statistics Canada. That’s the largest since 2005, and follows a revised C$8.31 billion deficit in the first quarter.

Economists surveyed by Bloomberg were expecting a C$3.9 billion surplus.

I said it before and I'll say it again. Putting a economist in charge and then having good economic results somehow just seems logical, but the LPC put Trudeau in power for so long meanwhile the CPC have offered Scheer, O'Toole, and Poilievre as their answer.

Parties should be lining up to grab former central bankers.

But again, Canada entering this trade conflict from a position of strength

 

[McG]

we don't have a metric system in Canada: We have a met-ish system, half metric and half English. We drive around in kilometers, but measure ourselves in feet and inches, we survey land for title square meters, but lease commercial properties by the square foot, we get our temperature in centigrade on the weather station, but get sick when our body temperature reaches 102 degrees Farenheit. etc. etc.

I think this is an age thing. My driving licence and medical records both give my height in metric, and I generally hear kids & young adults use metric to describe their own height. My parents and older relatives set their thermostats in fahrenheit, but when I visit anyone younger it is generally set in Celsius ("centigrade" is another word that identifies the user as being a older).

I don't think Canadians use British Imperial System anymore. Where legacy units of measurement are used, I think it is U.S. Customary System (though I acknowledge units of length and lbs are common between the two systems, the use of these legacy units is because of the US).

 

[Altair]

I think this is an age thing. My driving licence and medical records both give my height in metric, and I generally hear kids & young adults use metric to describe their own height. My parents and older relatives set their thermostats in fahrenheit, but when I visit anyone younger it is generally set in Celsius ("centigrade" is another word that identifies the user as being a older).

I don't think Canadians use British Imperial System anymore. Where legacy units of measurement are used, I think it is U.S. Customary System (though I acknowledge units of length and lbs are common between the two).

Yeah, this thread is showing a generational divide. The younger posters are using a lot more metric than imperial.

 

[tomydoom]

I don't think Canadians use British Imperial System anymore. Where legacy units of measurement are used, I think it is U.S. Customary System (though I acknowledge units of length and lbs are common between the two).

The only true pint is an imperial pint. Last time I was in the states, I was distressed at how dainty the beer glass felt in my hand. volume measures are the only ones that there was a real difference between imperial (Canadian Customary Units, in Canadian Law) and US units.

GEN-50—Use in trade of units of measurement defined in the Weights and Measures Act

Category: General Issue date: 2026-01-28 Effective date: 2026-01-28 Revision number: N/A Supersedes: N/A Table of contents 1.0 Purpose 2.0 Scope 3.0 References 4.0 Units of measurement defined by the Weights and Measures Act a

ised-isde.canada.ca

 

[Good2Golf]

And what of Francophone NB & MB?

And Ontario and Alberta. My first girlfriend in high school was originaire de Sudbury.

In Canadian and US news, US trade reps were pretty clear that the French language nor discoverability were serious matters to them that would sewer a deal.

It's looking more and more like the LPC is playing dirty politics to increase support in Quebec right before a few elections.

If that is happening - y'all good with that?

So you take Greer’s after-the-fact characterization of just how willing and accommodating the U.S. was, without seeing the actual text, but everything Canada was doing was performative deal destruction?

Personally, I’m good with how it went down. Trump, agree and Nutlick Lutnick can re-imagine how it went down all they like. I simply do not trust anything they say…other than Lutnick acknowledging (because there were photos) that he took his family to Pedoisland…

Oof. Didn’t realize ten year t bills were up more than five basis points so far today.

The Yen’s crept back up over 160/USD too. That potential U.S. treasuries sale to shore up the Yen remains a threat to U.S. federal borrowing,

The Treasury is running out of Euros and physical USD on hand to stem this one…Japan essentially has few other options to address the Yen’s recently persistent inflationary rise…

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

Oh! I do everything in metric. Besides, I weight a lot less in kilos than in pounds.

 

[Altair]

And Ontario and Alberta. My first girlfriend in high school was originaire de Sudbury.



So you take Greer’s after-the-fact characterization of just how willing and accommodating the U.S. was, without seeing the actual text, but everything Canada was doing was performative deal destruction?

Personally, I’m good with how it went down. Trump, agree and Nutlick Lutnick can re-imagine how it went down all they like. I simply do not trust anything they say…other than Lutnick acknowledging (because there were photos) that he took his family to Pedoisland…



The Treasury is running out of Euros and physical USD on hand to stem this one…Japan essentially has few other options to address the Yen’s recently persistent inflationary rise…

We have a chance to do something very funny.

 

[QV]

So you take Greer’s after-the-fact characterization of just how willing and accommodating the U.S. was, without seeing the actual text, but everything Canada was doing was performative deal destruction?

Personally, I’m good with how it went down. Trump, agree and Nutlick Lutnick can re-imagine how it went down all they like. I simply do not trust anything they say…other than Lutnick acknowledging (because there were photos) that he took his family to Pedoisland…

Having watched/read both the US and Canadian responses in several forms of media, and considering other factors in play, Greer comes across as more believable.

 

[Czech_pivo]

I was in elementary school when the switch was made to metric. I am now past retirement age. So tell me people: why is it that food labeling at the grocery store indicate the cost per pound in place of pride and cost per kilo in smaller character. In fact why are there cost per pound indicated at all? Aren't we waaaaaayyyyy past the transition period/ And why does my driver license and my old military ID card say that I am 1.73 meters tall, but nobody knows what that is and I have to keep telling them that I am 5 feet 8 inches tall?

When I used to buy porterhouse steaks from the butcher before the prices for beef went through the roof, I always said, "I'd like a porterhouse an inch and a half thick". I've never said, "I'd like a porterhouse 38mm thick."

I hope to one day again buy a porterhouse steak from a butcher and I better be able to say, "I'd like one an inch and a half thick."

 

[Good2Golf]

Having watched/read both the US and Canadian responses in several forms of media, and considering other factors in play, Greer comes across as more believable.

Than Lutnick and Trump, absolutely! He still is on orders from Lutnick.

 

[Good2Golf]

When I used to buy porterhouse steaks from the butcher before the prices for beef went through the roof, I always said, "I'd like a porterhouse an inch and a half thick". I've never said, "I'd like a porterhouse 38mm thick."

I hope to one day again buy a porterhouse steak from a butcher and I better be able to say, "I'd like one an inch and a half thick."

Or call it ‘Kansas Cut.’ (=1-1/2”/38mm)

 

[Altair]

Or call it ‘Kansas Cut.’ (=1-1/2”/38mm)

Why can't people be normal and call it 4cm?