A Chaotic Start to Trump’s Second Term
Here we are, two weeks into the president’s second term. Trump has been seeking chaos as he threatens countries, broadcasts footage of people shackled on military deportation flights, blames a helicopter crash on DEI hiring policies, cancels all foreign aid, and is basically walking Canada on a leash by dangling tariff threats that he does not even seem willing to implement, knowing the impact a trade war would have on inflation.
Genocidal Policies in Palestine
His comments on Palestine are genocidal—they reveal what the U.S./Israel agenda has been the entire time: to kill off or displace the population in order to take the land for themselves.
January 6 Pardons and the Erosion of Justice
Pardoning the January 6 rioters, including the violent ones, and firing people who worked on prosecuting them shows that he was serious in his 2020 coup attempt. He had even called on law enforcement to stand down that day. The fact that he himself was never put on trial for that insurrection, while thousands of others were, shows how broken the U.S. justice system is. People are incarcerated for petty crimes while violent right-wing insurrectionists are set free.
Canada’s History of Subservience to the U.S.
When it comes to Canada, we have always allowed the Americans to walk all over us. We have supported them in one unjustified war after another without asking questions. We have participated in the violent expansion of the U.S. empire abroad without ever thinking that it would one day turn on us. We have increased military spending at their command. We have given up elements of our sovereignty through information sharing, joint policing, and border protection.
Trump’s Threats to Canada: Migration, Annexation, and Tariffs
When it comes to migrants, we have more people coming into Canada from the U.S. than the opposite.
Trump’s threats to annex Canada cannot be taken lightly, as we have no means to resist an invasion and have put all of our international clout behind backing the United States on the world stage. Our membership in NATO means absolutely nothing if we are attacked by another NATO country.
When it comes to tariffs, our economy has become so integrated and dependent on the U.S. that a 25% tariff has the potential to do massive economic damage. This, mixed with corporate greed, could make paying for groceries even more difficult for Canadians.
Canada’s Political Elite: Bowing to Trump’s Demands
Under these circumstances, the Canadian elite seems willing to hand over whatever Trump wants—to do whatever he says—in order to keep the money rolling in.
Now is the time to start defining Canada beyond our proximity to the United States. We need to strengthen relationships with other countries that are targets of Trump’s threats and tariffs, including Mexico, China, Denmark, and Panama. We cannot continue relying on the United States to provide our economic activity or foreign policy. We need to be able to stand up as an independent voice and sovereign state.
The Cost of Trump’s Military Demands
When it comes to military spending, Trump’s demand that we invest 5% of GDP in the military would amount to about one-third of the federal budget—that’s $3,700 per year per person living in the country! Even if we bankrupt our social programs to spend this outrageous amount, we would still be no match for the U.S. or Russia militarily. Under these circumstances, military spending is useless. We must concentrate on diplomacy and diversifying our relationships.
Trump’s Aggression Will Backfire
One of the positive things about what is happening with Trump in his first two weeks is that he is really angering a lot of people. I think this pace of angering such large sections of the domestic and international population is bound to backfire. He is currently in the honeymoon stage of his presidency, after the implosion of the weak and worn-out Democrats and an impressive electoral victory, but this moment will not last forever.
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