Considering the current US relationship with the world and Canada's move to be closer to China, two of Kissinger's quotes related to his view of "realpolitik" come to mind:
"America has no permanent friends or enemies, only interests," meaning that a nation's foreign policy should be driven by pragmatism and self-interest rather than fixed alliances or grudges, leading to shifting relationships where allies today can become adversaries tomorrow, and vice-versa, as global circumstances and national needs change
"It may be dangerous to be America's enemy, but to be America's friend is fatal," meaning that while opposing the U.S. has clear risks (sanctions, intervention), aligning with the U.S. can be even more perilous because America often abandons allies when political winds shift, leaving them vulnerable or betrayed, highlighting realpolitik where national self-interest trumps loyalty.
Partly I agree with you. I will also say that over time I came to view Henry Kissinger as an unprincipled promiscuous swine.
What you are saying is that USA will not perceive China-dominated and China-owned Canada right on it's very long northern border as a clear, present and dangerous security threat.
To me it is clear that that mangy arrogant corrupt weasel Marc Carney is clueless to the fact that by his shitty obeisance to China he has given USA a number of very good reasons to end Canada.
NS, I understand your evaluation of Kissinger. Assuming you are correct - and it seems so to me that you are - that doesn't make Kissinger incorrect.
As for America's evaluation of China dominated Canada, well, those formerly (foolish then) who feared the US may find themselves now correct simply because of MC's stupidity.
And, as MC being unaware of the implications I am not at all certain about that. You may be correct; I think otherwise on that point. Having said that, it seems to me that he likely decided that the gamble of US reaction was a good gamble to take. And, that is, proof of his enormous idiocy.
Kissinger was wrong, though. His approach led to the detente of the ‘70s, and emboldened the Soviet Union to increase interference throughout the 3rd world plus invade Afghanistan. Ronald Reagan took the American exceptionalist perspective of a principled foreign policy - “the shining city on the hill” - won allies to his cause, and the Soviet Union collapse.
Kissinger loved Metternich, and was a fan of old Great Power/spheres of influence games of state. That approach was beaten by a new approach based on winning influence through ideas and principles - the rules-based liberal international order built after WW2. That’s the model that produced wealth and long-lasting peace. Returning to the old style “might makes right” approach seduces some people because it feels like a shortcut without the compromises and limits of the new approach, but that old approach was punctuated by instability and great power wars every few decades.
We should be in the business of making the best deals possible, given our many limitations & get on with life as it IS, as opposed to whinging about how mean the USA is, our sad hurt feelings, our longing for what was the world order, our lofty moral imperatives. It’s childlike, infantile & tedious. And the fact that it isn’t obvious … says A LOT.
Get back to the board table in Washington, Mr. Carney, our Experienced Business Man. Make a deal with the people who are 80% of our trade. At this point in time & how things ARE, they matter. A lot.
And that New World Order … the US is calling the shots. Not the Cdns, and certainly not you, from what we’ve seen this past year. Get your damned act together. Or leave.
Given the new arrangements with China you can be quite certain that the US will not simply renegotiate USMCA but will give the required six months notice that it is ending it's participation. At that point, Canada has absolutely NO protection.
As a recently branded white, male, settler, racist, imperialist colonialist the moral high ground no longer belongs to me. Certainly cannot lecture China on human rights, so let's make a deal that is in our economic best interest. Same with the US. Remembering always, that had the EU not been so antagonistic towards Alberta's dirty O&G, they wouldn't have been so dependent on Russia (the good guys?). Time to grow up. No friends, just allies. No trust, just rights you can defend.
Message to Mr. Neshi, ignorance is no excuse. A proverb that will bite.
I get the impression that every deal, every major meeting, involving Mark Carney has had its outcome pre-determined ahead of time based on backroom dealing. He gets to seem like he always "wins" because any clearly detrimental deal just doesn't go ahead. The PR spin can be pre-written and the op-eds (the entire G&M front page in this case) ready to go ahead of time making an obvious deal look like a brilliant one or a dubious deal presented in the best light (this one was both obvious and dubious).
What we don't know is what else is being given away in these backroom deals. I suspect we won't be hearing a peep about a foreign agents registry ever again, for example.
Congratulations Prime Minister. Canadian agriculture contributes 7% to Canadian GDP, while the Canadian automotive industry contributes 4%. That sort of indicates where priorities should be especially since THrump is threatening our auto sector. Canada's defense sector is ramping up, Bombardier is expanding their aeroplane production with a new plant. Looks like Canadians will have more employment choices, other that the auto sector.
As for threats from China, they haven't threatened to take Greenland (or us over yet). We still need time to get our military up to snuff.
Next, we need to make a deal with Sweden for fighter jets.
Michael, you offer congratulations to MC because of the apparent benefit to Canadian agriculture.
I suggest that you look at my separate comment wherein I mention a report by Brian Lilley that there is no "agreement" by China to lift the tariffs on canola and such but, rather, Canada EXPECTS China to do that - perhaps by March. Perhaps later? Perhaps not at all?
Brian Lilley is reporting that, yes, Canada has agreed to allow Chinese electric cars in. However, Lilley says, there is NO agreement to lift existing tariffs on canola, seafood, etc., etc.
Instead, Lilley reports, Canada "expects" the tariffs to be dropped by, oh, about March. So, it seems we have agreed to drop our tariffs and we "expect" China to do the same. Seems odd that MC, that glorious negotiator, couldn't get some - what's that Liberal word? Oh, yeah - specificity on the lifting of tariffs. You know: when; how much the tariffs will drop; and, will this actually happen?
a) You might very well be right; or, perhaps there will be another "request" from our eastern overlords; or, perhaps, perhaps; and
b) Who do you think pays the media to print the "news?" I used to somewhat scoff at the idea that the media were less than forthright but the last few years have certainly taught me that conspiracy folks sometime have something.
Pre-2015 I would scoff at and reject any notion that the media in Canada, including even the CBC, were controlled or biased beyond any admitted and obvious left/right editorial positions (e.g. the Post and the Star). As you say, the idea seemed like pure conspiracy theory at the time.
2018 media subsidies were a huge turning point and it's continued to get worse as other sources of revenue dried up. Just intuitively, if your paycheck and your continued ability to ever work in your field for a decent income ever again depended on one party always winning and another always losing, what the hell would you do? I wouldn't be able to remain impartial under that kind of pressure. So of course they are all lined up to support the Liberals.
Lately I have noticed a special relationship between specifically the Globe and Mail and the Carney regime. They love him something desperate.
I accept - but personally reject - that the G & M and others might in their heart of hearts think that MC is the superior party leader [dumb, but there you have it] and that influences their opinion columns but what I don't accept is that the news REPORTING has been so skewed and misleading.
One has to wonder if the Chinese even need our canola as it seems they’re rather selective about what they apply tariffs to - for instance they have yet to apply a tariff to all the oil we supply them. Not sure that we should be getting too close to this group of smiling thugs.
Peter, they don't NEED our canola but we need them. Therefore, our canola is a useful cudgel with which to control us. That is the only sense in which they "need" us.
Ken: good point. I think you’re saying that canola doesn’t have a lot of value in the Chinese market. Maybe time to move to other crops, find other uses for canola or find other markets rather than cutting deals with China.
The batteries in electric cars tend to lose half their capacity -- and mileage, or kilometer-age here in the Great White North, AKA the land of ice and snow, the frozen water vapor type -- when the temperature hits -32F (0 centgrade if my slide rule is still working properly) and below. At least one strike against them here in Canada, at least for any long distance driving ...
Better bets are natural gas, hydrogen, or maybe fuel cells.
Good question. One possible answer might be the population density -- living in cities probably requires many fewer long-distance trips. Canada's density is 10.9/sq mi while Sweden's is about 66. Almost an order of magnitude difference.
Hahahahaha! Glad you corrected him,thanks for that. My son had the same problem,so I pointed at my thermometer hanging outside with both,Fahrenheit and Celsius. Then I showed him my phone,for one last dig
We spend a lot of time fussing about the auto sector, as if it's really important. Here is a copy of what Google says about Canada's primary industries "key sectors including oil and gas extraction, mining (gold, potash, diamonds), forestry and logging, and agriculture (grains, livestock, dairy "
I don't see any notes about auto manufacturing. Maybe we focus on the wrong things right now.
You can’t point to failures that didn’t happen - maintenance is just an expense without an obvious short term benefit. Happens in large corporations too.
Can’t wait to hear Jen’s reaction to Calgary City Hall’s accountability response!
Jen really has to stop saying things like “the pipe no work good.” Unless the goal is to get people like me to stop listening, in which case, knock yourself out!
Sure glad Carney is supporting good paying Chinese jobs?!? Who is going to sell them? Warranty?Service? No thank you Mark,I’ve dealt with enough cheap knock offs,from China. Do people not remember the Lada?
Considering the current US relationship with the world and Canada's move to be closer to China, two of Kissinger's quotes related to his view of "realpolitik" come to mind:
"America has no permanent friends or enemies, only interests," meaning that a nation's foreign policy should be driven by pragmatism and self-interest rather than fixed alliances or grudges, leading to shifting relationships where allies today can become adversaries tomorrow, and vice-versa, as global circumstances and national needs change
"It may be dangerous to be America's enemy, but to be America's friend is fatal," meaning that while opposing the U.S. has clear risks (sanctions, intervention), aligning with the U.S. can be even more perilous because America often abandons allies when political winds shift, leaving them vulnerable or betrayed, highlighting realpolitik where national self-interest trumps loyalty.
Partly I agree with you. I will also say that over time I came to view Henry Kissinger as an unprincipled promiscuous swine.
What you are saying is that USA will not perceive China-dominated and China-owned Canada right on it's very long northern border as a clear, present and dangerous security threat.
To me it is clear that that mangy arrogant corrupt weasel Marc Carney is clueless to the fact that by his shitty obeisance to China he has given USA a number of very good reasons to end Canada.
NS, I understand your evaluation of Kissinger. Assuming you are correct - and it seems so to me that you are - that doesn't make Kissinger incorrect.
As for America's evaluation of China dominated Canada, well, those formerly (foolish then) who feared the US may find themselves now correct simply because of MC's stupidity.
And, as MC being unaware of the implications I am not at all certain about that. You may be correct; I think otherwise on that point. Having said that, it seems to me that he likely decided that the gamble of US reaction was a good gamble to take. And, that is, proof of his enormous idiocy.
Yes, good points. Re Kisissinger's approas, GS's related comment below is illuminating.
Kissinger was wrong, though. His approach led to the detente of the ‘70s, and emboldened the Soviet Union to increase interference throughout the 3rd world plus invade Afghanistan. Ronald Reagan took the American exceptionalist perspective of a principled foreign policy - “the shining city on the hill” - won allies to his cause, and the Soviet Union collapse.
Kissinger loved Metternich, and was a fan of old Great Power/spheres of influence games of state. That approach was beaten by a new approach based on winning influence through ideas and principles - the rules-based liberal international order built after WW2. That’s the model that produced wealth and long-lasting peace. Returning to the old style “might makes right” approach seduces some people because it feels like a shortcut without the compromises and limits of the new approach, but that old approach was punctuated by instability and great power wars every few decades.
We should be in the business of making the best deals possible, given our many limitations & get on with life as it IS, as opposed to whinging about how mean the USA is, our sad hurt feelings, our longing for what was the world order, our lofty moral imperatives. It’s childlike, infantile & tedious. And the fact that it isn’t obvious … says A LOT.
Get back to the board table in Washington, Mr. Carney, our Experienced Business Man. Make a deal with the people who are 80% of our trade. At this point in time & how things ARE, they matter. A lot.
And that New World Order … the US is calling the shots. Not the Cdns, and certainly not you, from what we’ve seen this past year. Get your damned act together. Or leave.
I believe there is no rush to make a deal with the US because it will mostly likely not be as good as the existing CUSMA
Given the new arrangements with China you can be quite certain that the US will not simply renegotiate USMCA but will give the required six months notice that it is ending it's participation. At that point, Canada has absolutely NO protection.
As a recently branded white, male, settler, racist, imperialist colonialist the moral high ground no longer belongs to me. Certainly cannot lecture China on human rights, so let's make a deal that is in our economic best interest. Same with the US. Remembering always, that had the EU not been so antagonistic towards Alberta's dirty O&G, they wouldn't have been so dependent on Russia (the good guys?). Time to grow up. No friends, just allies. No trust, just rights you can defend.
Message to Mr. Neshi, ignorance is no excuse. A proverb that will bite.
Boy that deal was... suspiciously quick.
I get the impression that every deal, every major meeting, involving Mark Carney has had its outcome pre-determined ahead of time based on backroom dealing. He gets to seem like he always "wins" because any clearly detrimental deal just doesn't go ahead. The PR spin can be pre-written and the op-eds (the entire G&M front page in this case) ready to go ahead of time making an obvious deal look like a brilliant one or a dubious deal presented in the best light (this one was both obvious and dubious).
What we don't know is what else is being given away in these backroom deals. I suspect we won't be hearing a peep about a foreign agents registry ever again, for example.
Congratulations Prime Minister. Canadian agriculture contributes 7% to Canadian GDP, while the Canadian automotive industry contributes 4%. That sort of indicates where priorities should be especially since THrump is threatening our auto sector. Canada's defense sector is ramping up, Bombardier is expanding their aeroplane production with a new plant. Looks like Canadians will have more employment choices, other that the auto sector.
As for threats from China, they haven't threatened to take Greenland (or us over yet). We still need time to get our military up to snuff.
Next, we need to make a deal with Sweden for fighter jets.
If percentage of GDP mattered we would end supply management.
Michael, you offer congratulations to MC because of the apparent benefit to Canadian agriculture.
I suggest that you look at my separate comment wherein I mention a report by Brian Lilley that there is no "agreement" by China to lift the tariffs on canola and such but, rather, Canada EXPECTS China to do that - perhaps by March. Perhaps later? Perhaps not at all?
Just a quick point, folks.
Brian Lilley is reporting that, yes, Canada has agreed to allow Chinese electric cars in. However, Lilley says, there is NO agreement to lift existing tariffs on canola, seafood, etc., etc.
Instead, Lilley reports, Canada "expects" the tariffs to be dropped by, oh, about March. So, it seems we have agreed to drop our tariffs and we "expect" China to do the same. Seems odd that MC, that glorious negotiator, couldn't get some - what's that Liberal word? Oh, yeah - specificity on the lifting of tariffs. You know: when; how much the tariffs will drop; and, will this actually happen?
Jesus fucking Christ. The rest of the media sure buried that tiny minor inconsequential little detail that *the entire thing might not even happen*.
I have two points:
a) You might very well be right; or, perhaps there will be another "request" from our eastern overlords; or, perhaps, perhaps; and
b) Who do you think pays the media to print the "news?" I used to somewhat scoff at the idea that the media were less than forthright but the last few years have certainly taught me that conspiracy folks sometime have something.
Pre-2015 I would scoff at and reject any notion that the media in Canada, including even the CBC, were controlled or biased beyond any admitted and obvious left/right editorial positions (e.g. the Post and the Star). As you say, the idea seemed like pure conspiracy theory at the time.
2018 media subsidies were a huge turning point and it's continued to get worse as other sources of revenue dried up. Just intuitively, if your paycheck and your continued ability to ever work in your field for a decent income ever again depended on one party always winning and another always losing, what the hell would you do? I wouldn't be able to remain impartial under that kind of pressure. So of course they are all lined up to support the Liberals.
Lately I have noticed a special relationship between specifically the Globe and Mail and the Carney regime. They love him something desperate.
I accept - but personally reject - that the G & M and others might in their heart of hearts think that MC is the superior party leader [dumb, but there you have it] and that influences their opinion columns but what I don't accept is that the news REPORTING has been so skewed and misleading.
The Toronto Star was more critical of his trip to China, which was interesting to see.
Well, Canada certainly made the headlines on BBC and CNN.
One has to wonder if the Chinese even need our canola as it seems they’re rather selective about what they apply tariffs to - for instance they have yet to apply a tariff to all the oil we supply them. Not sure that we should be getting too close to this group of smiling thugs.
Peter, they don't NEED our canola but we need them. Therefore, our canola is a useful cudgel with which to control us. That is the only sense in which they "need" us.
Ken: good point. I think you’re saying that canola doesn’t have a lot of value in the Chinese market. Maybe time to move to other crops, find other uses for canola or find other markets rather than cutting deals with China.
Now do China
The batteries in electric cars tend to lose half their capacity -- and mileage, or kilometer-age here in the Great White North, AKA the land of ice and snow, the frozen water vapor type -- when the temperature hits -32F (0 centgrade if my slide rule is still working properly) and below. At least one strike against them here in Canada, at least for any long distance driving ...
Better bets are natural gas, hydrogen, or maybe fuel cells.
I believe Norway or Sweden is 90 plus EV's - isn't it just a cold as Canada. So how do they do it?
Good question. One possible answer might be the population density -- living in cities probably requires many fewer long-distance trips. Canada's density is 10.9/sq mi while Sweden's is about 66. Almost an order of magnitude difference.
Sweden 450,295 square kilometres.
Alberta 661,848 square kilometres .
I just typed a search "which country is colder Canada or Norway"... it's not even close. Canada is much colder.
+32F equals O C
Hahahahaha! Glad you corrected him,thanks for that. My son had the same problem,so I pointed at my thermometer hanging outside with both,Fahrenheit and Celsius. Then I showed him my phone,for one last dig
👍 Thanks, I stand corrected. 🙂 Fairly simple calculation to convert between F and C but I’d taken the wrong fork, so to speak. 😉🙂
We spend a lot of time fussing about the auto sector, as if it's really important. Here is a copy of what Google says about Canada's primary industries "key sectors including oil and gas extraction, mining (gold, potash, diamonds), forestry and logging, and agriculture (grains, livestock, dairy "
I don't see any notes about auto manufacturing. Maybe we focus on the wrong things right now.
Re: infrastructure maintenance.
You can’t point to failures that didn’t happen - maintenance is just an expense without an obvious short term benefit. Happens in large corporations too.
Can’t wait to hear Jen’s reaction to Calgary City Hall’s accountability response!
The EVs will likely largely be western brands in the near term. Tesla used to ship Chinese built cars to Canada.
They have the regulatory compliant models and dealer / parts networks already.
This is actually under appreciated.
The number is the volume that shipped prior to the tariffs. What vehicle were those? Polestar, Tesla, and… Buick.
I don’t love giving China an inch given their rapacious behaviour. But this feels more like a centimetre.
Not doing video anymore??
Jen really has to stop saying things like “the pipe no work good.” Unless the goal is to get people like me to stop listening, in which case, knock yourself out!
WTF?
Sure glad Carney is supporting good paying Chinese jobs?!? Who is going to sell them? Warranty?Service? No thank you Mark,I’ve dealt with enough cheap knock offs,from China. Do people not remember the Lada?