Excellent article in all aspects. I will point out one thing: the author clearly did not run his article by the Laurentian "elites" censorship board.
"We thought our geographic proximity, shared culture, and maple-coated Canuck charm ......".
The Laurentian "elites" censorship board would have deleted the words "shared culture", even though these words are true.
The Laurentian "elites" have for generations worked in various ways to make a good and lasting Canada - USA relationship just about impossible. Hence the lack of suitable relationship-building institutions.
Investment, on all fronts, is exiting Canada at a rate previously not seen. Meanwhile, our elbozo PM is cuddling up to Xi. Not so much for Canada, but for Brookfield. No one, not the EU nor anyone else, in spite of his endless foreign missions ‘to bring business to Canada’ is jumping on board. But. China is rubbing its hands in anticipation.
He could have steered Canada to ‘start building generational wealth’ without pissing on the North American relationship. Canada is quite literally nothing without this relationship. 80%+of our trade is with the US. 80%!
The shallow-thinking children who think the Americans are going to suffer because they aren’t buying OJ or going to Vegas are throwing rocks at the speeding train headed right at them. And China wants them to do exactly that, nurse that owie, bad Donald, bad US. Meanwhile, Canada’s economy sinks faster and our smart young people and investment are headed south. Enjoy Mandarin and Cantonese as the next official languages, Canada.
lol not all of us, that’s for sure. Toronto’s 905/416, Quebec, the Maritimes - it may be generational, but it’s also very, very regional. More young ppl need to get out & vote.
Here’s the thing, success very rarely stems from being included or invited in. There’s never a promise that dreams or endeavors w see the light of day. But those who stick with it, work their a$$es off, suffer in the bargain (btw there’s rarely a life/work balance, no takeout, no star bucks, certainly no vacays for a long time) but it eventually comes. That’s what I told my 3 daughters - if you want to succeed, the road is hard, you will occasionally get a break from someone. Plan to succeed & never give up. Anyone who says otherwise, either never wanted for much, or they’re just (forgive the coarse word) dumb. Vote, work hard & don’t accept being sidelined. Otherwise 🤷🏼♀️
Canadian interests in Washington have always been in line behind industry lobbyists, NGOs and labour unions. Softwood lumber has been tariffed on and off through a number of administrations, NGOs brought down the KXL pipeline, and the US steel industry blocked the Canadian steel industry. Free trade is a nice concept but real world politics has a veto which gets exercised routinely.
How much does the average US citizen know about Canada? About the same as what we know about Mexico ( good avocados! ).
In the end, Danielle Smith seems to have had the right approach: influence the industry lobby groups, the media, and the people in the administration. So far the Carney approach of elbows up has just got us cross checked into the boards.
Perhaps it is necessary to build our own infrastructure...I don't know. But your statement 'We were caught completely off-guard by the results of last year’s presidential election' shows that the supposedly necessary and valuable think tank was useless when it came to an essential event. Why would we recreate that model?
Like Canada's NATO & NORAD participation, we've freeloaded on US goodwill. If you peak under our silly "elbows up" nonsense, you'll find the people who elected Mark Carney are waiting for Trump's departure so things can return to status quo ante. They really hate giving up Florida vacations and orange juice.
Thank you, Mr. Jain. You present a valuable perspective on Canada-US relations and I completely agree with your recommendation that we start building infrastructure urgently.
I would also suggest that those working in that new infrastructure spend a lot more time listening than talking. A Canadian point of view in Washington is not terribly relevant at the moment.
The US has decided that we are freeloaders! We need to understand that this judgment will transcend parties - it's not exclusive to Trump - and we need to understand how that judgment came about. In other words, begin with ears open and mouths shut for an extended period of time.
The Macdonald-Laurier Institute launched the Center for North American Prosperity and Security (CNAPS) in Washington a couple of years ago to work towards the goals the author seeks
Canada as a country is complacent because its citizens are for the most part complacent. Everything is great becomes everything is good which turns to everything is fine then everything is ok. As a country we don’t put the effort into becoming serious about our governance. Governance in Canada is about which party makes the best Santa Claus not which party can actually do the hard governing. Elections aren’t about policy they are about who is going to keep or expand the giveaways, it’s fine the way it is. Our healthcare is abysmal, but don’t try to change it, it’s ok and better than the US. Our strategic planning is but non-existent as this article points out, but is ok for us. It goes on and on.
The answer Anvesh is that Canadian's are cheap. We don't like spending money on relationship building in business or politics as a culture. Because the results can't be quantified it's seen as "wasting money."
Our elite types also lack the ambition and hustle that you see in South Korea, US and even in the UK. It isn't "polite" and is trying too hard.
The problems are cultural, and we are very ill served by our establishment. Why would they care, most of them either have significant assets outside Canada or a 2nd passport. Just ask them when you run into one.
You wisely point out “what right did we have to miss the resentment brewing in places like West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, or among young American men more broadly?” I would add most of the West and South excluding the urban wokes of Pasadena, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Bellevue and Boulder.
But we need to look at Canada also. The resentment among Albertans and Saskatchewanites(?), the indigenous, the young, houseless, gun owners, any English speaker with no hope of getting any but the most menial job in the federal public service or anywhere in Quebec is there in spades and is blissfully ignored by the Ottawa Apparatchik. I am waiting for the time in a few years when the members of the paramilitary and police apparatus Carney is pushing start following orders to enforce Canada’s Laurentian policies.
Not to worry - surely the Eurasia group will step forward to fill the void. Besides - as long as there is a trade war - the Liberals can blame that for the tanking Canadian economy, instead of their disastrous policies of the past ten years.
Trump's actions were a much needed push to get Canada's act together and unless we are looking to join the union (which is perfectly understandable), we should be pushing for self reliance and a smaller relationship with the US.
Agree with you, except for "a smaller relationship with the US". The whole point of the author's text is that we need a better relationship with the US. That does not exclude our push for self-reliance.
Here's the thing. Our subordinate , vassalhood type role we have with the US right now is a much, much worse situation than outright annexation. We could be so lucky as to be annexed. No. They get more from us like this.
Countries around the globe would consider themselves unbelievably fortunate to have the set of circumstances you described as "vassalhood"...
We have a large robust economy right next door, easily accessible for both import and export - with a historically rock solid bilateral trading relationship, including a decades old comprehensive Free Trade deal for MOST goods.
....but you got your feelings hurt when the current President SAID some things you didn't like, so you would have us throw all of that away.
Well boo frickin' hoo. Get over it.
Canada and the USA will continue to be trading partners for the foreseeable future. Doing anything else would be madness.
Expending trade with ANYONE else will involve absorbing hugely increased costs - in shipping if at the very least, which is why it won't happen.
Businesses will continue to do business where it makes sense to do so, and being geographically BLESSED by having one of the largest markets in the world within a couple of hours drive of your business.... it's not exactly hard to figure out.
“ We are sorely lacking in the institutional infrastructure needed to counter widespread misconceptions about our country.”
Thank you. This is an exceptionally acute observation .
I enjoyed reading this article very much.
Excellent article in all aspects. I will point out one thing: the author clearly did not run his article by the Laurentian "elites" censorship board.
"We thought our geographic proximity, shared culture, and maple-coated Canuck charm ......".
The Laurentian "elites" censorship board would have deleted the words "shared culture", even though these words are true.
The Laurentian "elites" have for generations worked in various ways to make a good and lasting Canada - USA relationship just about impossible. Hence the lack of suitable relationship-building institutions.
Investment, on all fronts, is exiting Canada at a rate previously not seen. Meanwhile, our elbozo PM is cuddling up to Xi. Not so much for Canada, but for Brookfield. No one, not the EU nor anyone else, in spite of his endless foreign missions ‘to bring business to Canada’ is jumping on board. But. China is rubbing its hands in anticipation.
He could have steered Canada to ‘start building generational wealth’ without pissing on the North American relationship. Canada is quite literally nothing without this relationship. 80%+of our trade is with the US. 80%!
The shallow-thinking children who think the Americans are going to suffer because they aren’t buying OJ or going to Vegas are throwing rocks at the speeding train headed right at them. And China wants them to do exactly that, nurse that owie, bad Donald, bad US. Meanwhile, Canada’s economy sinks faster and our smart young people and investment are headed south. Enjoy Mandarin and Cantonese as the next official languages, Canada.
Such a great and on point comment! A 1000 thumbs up!!!!
It's a generational rift. Those over 55 see nothing wrong with steady as she goes, and they are the ones who voted for Carney.
lol not all of us, that’s for sure. Toronto’s 905/416, Quebec, the Maritimes - it may be generational, but it’s also very, very regional. More young ppl need to get out & vote.
Agreed, young people need to vote more, but that would involve young people feeling more a part of the community and with more of a voice,
Here’s the thing, success very rarely stems from being included or invited in. There’s never a promise that dreams or endeavors w see the light of day. But those who stick with it, work their a$$es off, suffer in the bargain (btw there’s rarely a life/work balance, no takeout, no star bucks, certainly no vacays for a long time) but it eventually comes. That’s what I told my 3 daughters - if you want to succeed, the road is hard, you will occasionally get a break from someone. Plan to succeed & never give up. Anyone who says otherwise, either never wanted for much, or they’re just (forgive the coarse word) dumb. Vote, work hard & don’t accept being sidelined. Otherwise 🤷🏼♀️
Canadian interests in Washington have always been in line behind industry lobbyists, NGOs and labour unions. Softwood lumber has been tariffed on and off through a number of administrations, NGOs brought down the KXL pipeline, and the US steel industry blocked the Canadian steel industry. Free trade is a nice concept but real world politics has a veto which gets exercised routinely.
How much does the average US citizen know about Canada? About the same as what we know about Mexico ( good avocados! ).
In the end, Danielle Smith seems to have had the right approach: influence the industry lobby groups, the media, and the people in the administration. So far the Carney approach of elbows up has just got us cross checked into the boards.
I agree, but try telling that to most Easterners who have been fed a line about Premier Smith.
Perhaps it is necessary to build our own infrastructure...I don't know. But your statement 'We were caught completely off-guard by the results of last year’s presidential election' shows that the supposedly necessary and valuable think tank was useless when it came to an essential event. Why would we recreate that model?
It may have been more the people than the model that was the problem. But it's a good point. No point in re-creating what clearly didn't work.
Like Canada's NATO & NORAD participation, we've freeloaded on US goodwill. If you peak under our silly "elbows up" nonsense, you'll find the people who elected Mark Carney are waiting for Trump's departure so things can return to status quo ante. They really hate giving up Florida vacations and orange juice.
Thank you, Mr. Jain. You present a valuable perspective on Canada-US relations and I completely agree with your recommendation that we start building infrastructure urgently.
I would also suggest that those working in that new infrastructure spend a lot more time listening than talking. A Canadian point of view in Washington is not terribly relevant at the moment.
The US has decided that we are freeloaders! We need to understand that this judgment will transcend parties - it's not exclusive to Trump - and we need to understand how that judgment came about. In other words, begin with ears open and mouths shut for an extended period of time.
The Macdonald-Laurier Institute launched the Center for North American Prosperity and Security (CNAPS) in Washington a couple of years ago to work towards the goals the author seeks
Canada as a country is complacent because its citizens are for the most part complacent. Everything is great becomes everything is good which turns to everything is fine then everything is ok. As a country we don’t put the effort into becoming serious about our governance. Governance in Canada is about which party makes the best Santa Claus not which party can actually do the hard governing. Elections aren’t about policy they are about who is going to keep or expand the giveaways, it’s fine the way it is. Our healthcare is abysmal, but don’t try to change it, it’s ok and better than the US. Our strategic planning is but non-existent as this article points out, but is ok for us. It goes on and on.
The answer Anvesh is that Canadian's are cheap. We don't like spending money on relationship building in business or politics as a culture. Because the results can't be quantified it's seen as "wasting money."
Our elite types also lack the ambition and hustle that you see in South Korea, US and even in the UK. It isn't "polite" and is trying too hard.
The problems are cultural, and we are very ill served by our establishment. Why would they care, most of them either have significant assets outside Canada or a 2nd passport. Just ask them when you run into one.
Awesome article! Thank you.
You wisely point out “what right did we have to miss the resentment brewing in places like West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, or among young American men more broadly?” I would add most of the West and South excluding the urban wokes of Pasadena, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Bellevue and Boulder.
But we need to look at Canada also. The resentment among Albertans and Saskatchewanites(?), the indigenous, the young, houseless, gun owners, any English speaker with no hope of getting any but the most menial job in the federal public service or anywhere in Quebec is there in spades and is blissfully ignored by the Ottawa Apparatchik. I am waiting for the time in a few years when the members of the paramilitary and police apparatus Carney is pushing start following orders to enforce Canada’s Laurentian policies.
Not to worry - surely the Eurasia group will step forward to fill the void. Besides - as long as there is a trade war - the Liberals can blame that for the tanking Canadian economy, instead of their disastrous policies of the past ten years.
Trump's actions were a much needed push to get Canada's act together and unless we are looking to join the union (which is perfectly understandable), we should be pushing for self reliance and a smaller relationship with the US.
Agree with you, except for "a smaller relationship with the US". The whole point of the author's text is that we need a better relationship with the US. That does not exclude our push for self-reliance.
When businesses are in danger of hostile takeover, they don't look to improve relations. I don't see how this situation is any different.
There is a zero percent chance of the Americans annexing Canada, Wayne.
You do know all that fear was only stoked up for the election campaign, right?
The election is over, and your guy won - so we can stop pretending there are tanks poised to commence pouring across our border.
Here's the thing. Our subordinate , vassalhood type role we have with the US right now is a much, much worse situation than outright annexation. We could be so lucky as to be annexed. No. They get more from us like this.
Countries around the globe would consider themselves unbelievably fortunate to have the set of circumstances you described as "vassalhood"...
We have a large robust economy right next door, easily accessible for both import and export - with a historically rock solid bilateral trading relationship, including a decades old comprehensive Free Trade deal for MOST goods.
....but you got your feelings hurt when the current President SAID some things you didn't like, so you would have us throw all of that away.
Well boo frickin' hoo. Get over it.
Canada and the USA will continue to be trading partners for the foreseeable future. Doing anything else would be madness.
Expending trade with ANYONE else will involve absorbing hugely increased costs - in shipping if at the very least, which is why it won't happen.
Businesses will continue to do business where it makes sense to do so, and being geographically BLESSED by having one of the largest markets in the world within a couple of hours drive of your business.... it's not exactly hard to figure out.
Oopsie doopsie. Canada screwed itself again by being utterly dependent on a country that it sneers at, despises, and morally lords itself over.