Pednault’s Solution to Trump’s Tariffs? Ammunition and Artillery

In a move that will likely deepen concerns about his militaristic approach to politics, Green Party co-leader Jonathan Pednault tweeted “it’s time” in response to Trump’s latest tariff threats—then linked to a Green Party policy document outlining a call to urgently revise Canada’s military doctrine and ramp up artillery and ammunition production in response to the U.S.

For a party that once prided itself on diplomacy and nonviolence, this escalating pro-military stance is raising eyebrows. Instead of advocating for economic countermeasures, trade negotiations, or international coalition-building, Pednault’s immediate response to a trade dispute is to focus on bolstering Canada’s military capacity.

From Green to Camouflage?

The document Pednault shared calls for:

• Urgently revising Canada’s Military Doctrine to account for the U.S.’s “threatening new positioning.”

• Increasing domestic artillery and ammunition production to stockpile strategic reserves.

These proposals are just the latest in a series of alarming statements from Pednault, who has previously suggested that Canada should model its defense strategy on Ukraine’s guerrilla warfare efforts. He has even floated the idea of arming civilians in the event of a U.S. invasion.

For a party that once stood for peace, de-escalation, and environmentalism, the transformation under Pednault’s leadership is becoming impossible to ignore.

A Dangerous Shift

This latest statement reinforces fears that Pednault is pushing the Green Party into a hawkish, militarized posture. While other political leaders are responding to Trump’s tariffs with discussions of economic policy and trade retaliation, Pednault is framing the situation as a military crisis—further blurring the lines between the Greens and pro-war establishment parties.

With Pednault now representing the Greens in the upcoming leaders’ debates, his rhetoric is set to define the party’s direction. Will Elizabeth May continue to let her co-leader drag the party further into militarism? Or will the Greens finally recognize that their stance on war and peace is shifting dramatically under Pednault’s leadership?

As Trump’s trade war escalates, Canadians will be watching closely to see whether the Green Party responds with diplomacy—or with even more calls to arms.