The Insurance Backstop That Shouldn’t Exist

[Freight Broker]

We should pull the pin on both CUSMA and NATO. Both have turned us into a vassal state of the United States. We’ve become supplicants to the Americans…and it will take a generation or three to turn that around.

What would a world without CUSMA look like? Think back to what life was like before 1989, when there was no free trade, and a tariff wall protected our interests as well as theirs. We did just fine. So there will be tariffs again..we will adjust.

And NATO, why are we running all over the globe as self proclaimed peacekeepers? We should strengthen and realign our military to focus on self defence. The military, like most everything else today, is a pale shadow of what once was. In the interest of inclusivity we’ve lowered some standards that need to be brought back.. the discipline.. the physical requirements. And make it compulsory to serve.. no admin duty.. two years of field work in subzero weather and conditions that will encourage the weakest of immigrants to head back home and maybe also to take some of our homegrown weaklings with them.

In the meantime.. it’s all about appeasing Uncle Trump. Until we fly right the beatings will continue. We were a proud independent nation…once.

 

[Jim L]

We should pull the pin on both CUSMA and NATO. Both have turned us into a vassal state of the United States. We’ve become supplicants to the Americans…and it will take a generation or three to turn that around.

Well...that is a staunch stance....to be debated much later....

Somehow, I think that Canada needs to have some agreement in place instead of being the single party outsider. That applies to both CUSMA and NATO. We have the stuff, but not the braun.

Now, if Canada can bring more to the table, but alas, we're tapped out. When clean water becomes as desired as oil is today - maybe?

 

[loaders]

Well...that is a staunch stance....to be debated much later....

Somehow, I think that Canada needs to have some agreement in place instead of being the single party outsider. That applies to both CUSMA and NATO. We have the stuff, but not the braun.

Now, if Canada can bring more to the table, but alas, we're tapped out. When clean water becomes as desired as oil is today - maybe?

After the rude awakening we experienced when the true face of our largest trading partner was exposed as the unreliable, unpredictable creature it really is, it is no wonder we are actively pursuing other willing partners, and should continue to do so. The EU, South America, Asia all need our natural resources and reducing our dependency on the giant to our south is in our best long term interests, regardless of who sits on their Iron Throne. Of course, simply by geography, the US will continue to be a major player in our economic future, however it doesn't have to be the only one and, in a couple more years there could be a dramatic change in their political direction. Now is not the time to regress and retreat, it is a new, entirely global world out there very much unlike the pre CUSMA days or even longer ago, the pre NATO days. Its not a complicated theory, there is strength in numbers and having more friends than enemies is a good thing, especially when there is an unhinged bully roaming about the world, uncontrolled.

 

[Freight Broker]

The price of free trade is further integration and dependance on the US. As the dominant partner, they name the tune and we dance. This much has become clear over the last year. I'm all for trade... but no-longer sure free trade is the way forward. A trade agreement that works for both parties and that includes tariffs and provisions that recognise our differences might be the better way to go. The old "National Policy" of John A Macdonald encouraged local production and innovation.. i.e. "you want to sell it here then you have to build it here".. thus we had locomotive plants in Montreal, London and Kingston, textile plants in Quebec, and of course auto plants in Ontario. President Trump's philosophy.. "if you want to avoid the tariffs then build it here" would work again for us too. It did before free trade came in.

 

[loaders]

The price of free trade is further integration and dependance on the US. As the dominant partner, they name the tune and we dance. This much has become clear over the last year. I'm all for trade... but no-longer sure free trade is the way forward. A trade agreement that works for both parties and that includes tariffs and provisions that recognise our differences might be the better way to go. The old "National Policy" of John A Macdonald encouraged local production and innovation.. i.e. "you want to sell it here then you have to build it here".. thus we had locomotive plants in Montreal, London and Kingston, textile plants in Quebec, and of course auto plants in Ontario. President Trump's philosophy.. "if you want to avoid the tariffs then build it here" would work again for us too. It did before free trade came in.

Those were the days before things could be made anywhere in the world for dramatically less money. Plus in those days, as us old time transport guys remember, there were no containers or massive container ships. Products were loaded into the hold of ocean going vessels, hardly an efficient system. These are completely different times and yes, the US will continue to wield considerable influence over our trading patterns. However the people making the real decisions about global trade are multi national companies who build plants nd buy raw materials where it makes economic sense, not at the whim or threat of a deranged lunatic. No question, those “good old days” were great for Canada and its workforce, especially in smaller centres, however they are long gone and that system just doesn’t work as well as it once did.