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

[Altair]

Interesting take on this.
I do not see Canada in a ‘weak’ position.

The EU is also known to work collaboratively in most cases, not like a predator trying to corner what it views as a smaller victim.

Probably because the EU is filled with a bunch of smaller nations.

They probably also know that it's better for them to have Canada aligned with them than not.

 

[Brad Sallows]

Interesting take on this.
I do not see Canada in a ‘weak’ position.

I don't know whether we are. The question is what outside observers think they see given the population and economic disparity between Canada and the US. Does Canada give the impression of desperation to find other trading patterns?

 

[Altair]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2092349337934209159

So a more authentic tweet, from a CNN anchor speaking to Trump himself.

The part I love best is Trump throwing his team under the bus.

Greer- Canada made a bunch of last minute demands

Carney- America made a bunch of last minute demands

Trump-Last minute demands? Ya, sounds like me.

 

[Czech_pivo]

I don't know whether we are. The question is what outside observers think they see given the population and economic disparity between Canada and the US. Does Canada give the impression of desperation to find other trading patterns?

Fair statement.
I think others see resolve, at least for now, and, in the case of a number of EU members, a similar thinking country looking to make new deals.
China could see someone looking to cut some deals on the cheap but, honestly, I don’t even think they see weakness at the moment.

 

[QV]

Economically, what makes us strong?

 

[Blackadder1916]

Many probably have a preconceived notion of what rural Albertans may be thinking, so I was pleased to see this "op-ed" by Bonnie Critchley (the "independent" candidate that made the best showing against Poilievre in the Battle River- Crowfoot byelection). She reposted it on FB.

Facebook

www.facebook.com

(as some folks were having trouble with the link, here's a copy of the Substack OpEd I wrote)

As Corb Lund said, “This is my prairie. This is my home.”

I was still in High School in Medicine Hat when I swore an Oath to protect Canada. My fight and my “uniform” may a look a little different these days, but I still hold true to my Oath. Our wildlife and our industries are in fact very diverse, but still need careful management and conservation. Not wholesale exploitation by foreign actors who don't care, or even live here. Our cultures are also diverse. Just this weekend alone, I attended multiple events celebrating multiple cultures and histories. On a aussi beaucoup des communautés et familles française en Alberta. Il y a l'histoire française, et les Métis qui habit là pendant longtemp. On a aussi des familles militaires qui sont à les plus grande bases au Canada. (Oui, je connais que mon français n'est pas le meilleur. J'ai perdue trops de mon grammaire et vocabulaire, et je connais que mon français écrit ce sont horrible. J'aime excuse si vous plaît, j'essaierai.)

Ours is a land that most of us intend to pass on to the next generation. That large majority of us will fight for our sovereignty. Those who study history know that appeasement never really works. Whether it was the Saxons facing Viking hoards after the sacking of Lindisfarne, or the Polish falling to Nazi Germany after the invasion of Czechoslovakia, or any one of the hundreds of examples in between, appeasement doesn't work. So while I may disagree with our Prime Minister on a few things, I firmly stand by the decision to withdraw from Trade Talks. I was very pleasantly surprised that M. Poilievre did as well. I was disappointed (but not surprised) when Ms. Smith did not. There are Collaborators both within our Provincial Government and the separatist movement who are working to have us bend the knee before US imperialism. Alberta is being set up as the bridge head and staging ground for US encroachment. So my arena and my “uniform” have changed, but my Oath has not. I will continue to fight for my Neighbours and Our communities for as long as I have to.

This is my prairie. This is my home.

I'll make my stand here, but I won't be alone.

 

[Altair]

Economically, what makes us strong?

Abundant natural resources, energy reserves, a strong manufacturing base, a sturdy financial sector, sound government finances (by far the best net debt in the G7), multiple free trade agreements, and one of the top agricultural nations in the world.

 

[Furniture]

Many probably have a preconceived notion of what rural Albertans may be thinking, so I was pleased to see this "op-ed" by Bonnie Critchley (the "independent" candidate that made the best showing against Poilievre in the Battle River- Crowfoot byelection). She reposted it on FB.

Facebook

www.facebook.com

Making sense and quoting Corb Lund, she'd get my vote if I lived there.

 

[PrairieFella]

Economically, what makes us strong?

You certainly dont have a top ten global economy with 40MM people otherwise.

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

Bad news for the pinball enthusiasts on this forum, none of the big Sony/Microsoft/Nintendo consoles are built in the US so this is more targeted towards table and parlour games.

Fortunately I'm cheap so I've only bought one NIB game and that was last year.
This will kill those idiots that put money down on a game that won't even be built for up to a year.
(I guess morons do that for cars/trucks also)

Hopefully folks buy more used games and It might drive up the price of the four I'm working on right now so I probably won't mind.
(pinball wise of course, otherwise this whole thing is still a sad pathetic shit show)

Wish we were more prepared for this ala HB's post a couple of pages back.

 

[Eaglelord17]

Fair statement.
I think others see resolve, at least for now, and, in the case of a number of EU members, a similar thinking country looking to make new deals.
China could see someone looking to cut some deals on the cheap but, honestly, I don’t even think they see weakness at the moment.

For China it is more about causing issues for the US long term than anything else. Being able to remove much of the benefit to the States of their largest ally who also supplies them with a significant portion of their natural resources would make them pretty happy.

 

[dapaterson]

If you wear diapers I guess you don't have to worry about a toilet paper shortage.

Wiped out: US faces surging toilet paper prices amid trade war with Canada

Paper products among hardest-hit sectors after trade negotiations broke down, with 25-50% tariffs estimated

www.theguardian.com

 

[QV]

You certainly dont have a top ten global economy with 40MM people otherwise.

Yeah well, the OECD predicts over the long-term on it's current trajectory Canada will be the worst performing advanced economy in real GDP with individual standards of living falling heavily behind all other peer countries (of 30 peer nations, we are projected to rank 30th).

Some causes:
-Severe productivity stagnation.
-Chronic capital underinvestment
-Capital misallocation
-Internal regulatory bottlenecks

A few things that would help change this trajectory:
-dismantle internal trade barriers
-lower corporate and personal income taxes

I guess we'll see if what this government has done so far and plans to do can reverse this trajectory.

 

[PrairieFella]

Yeah well, the OECD predicts over the long-term on it's current trajectory Canada will be the worst performing advanced economy in real GDP with individual standards of living falling heavily behind all other peer countries (of 30 peer nations, we are projected to rank 30th).

Some causes:
-Severe productivity stagnation.
-Chronic capital underinvestment
-Capital misallocation
-Internal regulatory bottlenecks

A few things that would help change this trajectory:
-dismantle internal trade barriers
-lower corporate and personal income taxes

I guess we'll see if what this government has done so far and plans to do can reverse this trajectory.

Got a source on that?

 

[QV]

Got a source on that?

You can look it up. Start with the Fraser Institute or just google it.

 

[PrairieFella]

You can look it up. Start with the Fraser Institute or just google it.

Highest growth in G7 per OECD this year so far...maybe look into your sources before spouting them off without evidence. I dont doubt you saw something from the Fraser Institute, but they arent exactly known to be non-partisan.

GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth in the OECD area increased slightly to 0.5% in Q2 2026, up from 0.4% in the previous quarter, according to provisional estimates (Figure 1). This reflected a mixed picture across the 30 OECD countries for which data were available. In Q2 2026, 27 countries recorded growth, but at varying rates, while 3 saw no change in GDP.

GDP growth in the G7 slowed to 0.3% in Q2 2026, down from 0.4% in Q1, reflecting slower growth in five G7 countries: Germany, from 0.4% to 0.2%; Italy, from 0.3% to 0.2%; Japan, from 0.5% to 0.3%; the United Kingdom, from 0.6% to 0.4%; and the United States, from 0.5% to 0.4%. In Japan, the slowdown mainly reflected stagnant private consumption, destocking and a decline in investment. In the United Kingdom, weaker private consumption and a decline in government consumption weighed on economic activity. In the United States, slower growth mainly reflected weaker export growth, destocking and a decrease in government consumption. By contrast, growth in Canada accelerated from zero in Q1 to 0.8% in Q2. In France, GDP returned to growth (0.2%) in Q2, following a contraction of 0.1% in Q1.

Also from OECD.

GDP growth is expected to strengthen over 2026 and 2027, reaching 1.2% and 1.7% respectively, as the economy recovers from the 2025 trade‑related slowdown triggered by higher US tariffs.

 

[brihard]

Got a source on that?

You can look it up. Start with the Fraser Institute or just google it.

Just ana important, when is that source dated?

 

[MilEME09]

Nah….I think energy and fertilizer need to be left alone and kept in our back pocket for a last resort. Messing with another countries energy supply, especially when that country is running amok as a complete bully is really not something to be done lightly…..there was a reason Japan decided to take on the whole world back in 1941.

And thats fine but I disagree with publicly saying its off the table. By putting it off the table, america may see it as a weakness to exploit

 

[Good2Golf]

And thats fine but I disagree with publicly saying its off the table. By putting it off the table, america may see it as a weakness to exploit

In chess-level negotiations, there’s no need to say that now, let the thrash happen in US as it is now, and see what happens after Sept 8. Then update, as there may be more datapoints come out of the WH…otherwise, keep the powder dry until needed for next round.

 

[MilEME09]

In chess-level negotiations, there’s no need to say that now, let the thrash happen in US as it is now, and see what happens after Sept 8. Then update, as there may be more datapoints come out of the WH…

Speaking of oil

Coincidence.....of course

U.S. Refiners Face New Crude Squeeze as Canada Cuts Oil Sands Output | OilPrice.com

Replacement heavy crude is scarce, with Canadian inventories unusually low and Venezuela’s production recovery progressing too slowly to fully compensate.

oilprice.com