Canada, Greenland, Mexico, etc - USA Tariffs / Trade War commencing March 2025 #5

[Herat]

Ukraione had a terrible day today. While President Zelensky was in South Africa, Russia bombed Kviev, killing 15 and wounding 90 people. This is just awful and another mark of Russia's lack of principles or ethics.

But honestly, Trump is partly to blame. First thing he cannonballs right into the middle of the Ukraine swimming pool and declares he is going to end this war in days. Then he yells and screams and pretends (or believes?) that Putin actually listens to him. Then he berates Ukraine. Then he gets bored and wanders away to tariffs, and immigrant-hunting and playing with Elon Musk.

He gets directly involved with Ukraine, making big demands, and then loses interest, leaving Zelensky stuck in the middle with the nest of angry killer Russian hornets.

Either Trump is in or he is not, and let Zelensky go to his European colleagues for real support.

 

[otto]

If Canada shut off its crude oil and petroleum exports to the US, Trump would suddenly have to admit that the US just might need something from Canada.

Canada remains the biggest supplier - by far, HUGELY far - of crude oil and petroleum to mainland USA.
Which is, no doubt, why Trump would like the "51st state of Canada". imo


View attachment 581392

View attachment 581392

Company Level Imports - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)

www.eia.gov

It's the same idea that the USA Government has with Greenland. They can purchase what they want, but the USA Government must respect Canadian values, and especially environmental law. Indigenous People's have a voice.

The USA Government wants to bypass all of that, and just take what they want now without paying for it or respecting the values of other sovereign nations.

Greenland, Canada, Ukraine - the USA government wants to steal from those three countries and they will do whatever they can to damage and compromise those countries first in order to get away with theft.

 

[otto]

"Carney said last week that eliminating trade barriers within Canada would benefit Canadians as he made his case to retain power ahead of an April 28 vote. Carney has set a goal of free trade within the country’s 10 provinces and three territories by July 1. Canada has long had interprovincial trade barriers."

There are trade barriers between the various component parts of Canada? How does that work?

True. Canada has trade barriers between provinces. Provinces have different standards and regulations for environment, health and safety ... not familiar with details. The federal government has talked about removing the barriers for a long time, but no action. Trump is the motivation.

Until now, it was cheaper to sell BC and Ontario wine to the USA than to sell it to Manitoba. Every province has been selling to the USA first for economic reasons. Removing the barriers means buying less from the USA, and consuming more Canadian products.

 

[Kemug]

Or a mantrum.

Or a tantrump.

 

[Kemug]

Trump said the same thing about China - that he doesn't need anything from China, and China needs many things from the USA. Today, China is withholding critical devices that the USA needs for military, drones, planes and cars and there's nothing the USA can do about it at this time. Trump was fibbing.

When Trump says he doesn't need anything from Canada, and mentions the North American automotive industry, he means that after the USA establishes local automotive manufacturing and trains automotive engineers, then the USA will not need anything from Canada. That will take years. Trump is fibbing.

Trump so easily omits that Canada supplies hydro electricity to many USA states, and that the USA buys subsidized oil from Canada. Yes, Canada oil prices are reduced/subsidized for the USA. Without Canadian oil, the USA would have to rely on the Middle East and Venezuela for oil. Trump is fibbing again.

Trump fibbing? Well, yes of course, his lips were moving.

 

[musicaljoke]

Did you see this delightful Chinese produced video spoof on Trump?

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

 

[TootsieFootsie]

He simply just doesn't want to try to understand the goals or methods of others that make a contract a win-win situtation.

He doesn't want win-win.
He wants to be seen as the only winner.

 

[Herat]

Tonight’s PBS news had a fascinating program about tariffs and the US aluminum industry. We are in a state of Debilitating Uncertainty.

The US needs aluminum for a broad number of industrial, manufacturing, milirary, and consumer goods. There used to be 30 aluminum smelter plants in the US and now there are only 4, thanks to China driving down the price of aluminum so that the US could not compete on an international level.

So the Aluminum industry supports the idea of tariffs to make aluminum worthwhile to make in the US. However, aluminum smelting needs a huge amout of electricity, and a stable price for electricity over something like 30 years to make financial sense to build or re-open smelters. If the US cannot get enough electricity, it is not economical to build a plant. One of the huge problems for the US is if Canada cuts off electrical or hydroelectric power that they had been to the US. Trying to fix the Chinese depression of the price of aluminum doesn't work if Canada cuts off the power supply. And it is only exacerbated by the huge amount of electricity that AI, bitcoin, and other new IT developments demand. Do you want Bitcoin or Aluminum?

The cost of aluminum directly affects numerous consumer goods- especially autos and auto parts. But it also is in every household appliances, phones, building construction, airplanes- both commercial and military, a myriad of products.
Trump has said he will exempt auto assemblies and parts from aluminum tariffs, but that does nothing for the other users of aluminum.

The major shareholders of the aluminum industry and major construction and home building companies are now recognizing that there is a real recession coming due to the game playing and lack of confidence coming from the Trump administration.

One rather disgusted construction CEO described it as Debilitating Uncertainty. A very worrisome development.

The transcript of the program is here. It is a good insight into the ramifications of poorly-made decisions or of dithering playacting that does not instill confidence or faith from which to plan future business.

The benefits and financial toll of rebuilding America’s aluminum industry

The central economic focus of President Trump's second term so far has been tariffs. Over the past few months, the president has levied - and also paused - taxes on imports from all over the world. Some have taken effect, including his tariffs on aluminum. Economics correspondent Paul Solman...

www.pbs.org

It's hard for me to believe business leaders are going to tolerate the lack of professionalism or planning that has been evident since April 2 and will not support even a full term for Trump.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

If Canada shut off its crude oil and petroleum exports to the US, Trump would suddenly have to admit that the US just might need something from Canada.

So does that mean Canada holds the trump card ?

 

[Herat]

So does that mean Canada holds the trump card ?

It very well might, in terms of America's industrial future.

 

[LovesPeace2]

It very well might, in terms of America's industrial future.

But will Canada want to help the USA after all this . I can't see it happening any time soon .

 

[LovesPeace2]

This may tick off the USA kinda gunna suck to be cheetos

First Nations in Manitoba pushing for LNG exports from Hudson’s Bay

NeeStaNan project would use Hudson's Bay port location selected by Canadian government more than 100 years ago

www.canadianenergycentre.ca

A group of 11 First Nations in Manitoba plans to build an additional industrial terminal nearby at Port Nelson to ship liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Europe and potash to Brazil.

 

[Lilibet]

Did you see this delightful Chinese produced video spoof on Trump?

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

Best use of AI yet!!

 

[Herat]

Best use of AI yet!!

A+++++++++++++

Really amazing and so well done. I’m going to have to watch it over and over to catch all the funny little details. I still have to figure out all the characters. Trump, of course. Vance, a very sour-looking Musk. Rubio selling buns on the street from a cart.

So incredibly well done. Can’t stop howling in laughter.

 

[Dotta]

Best use of AI yet!!

Still,
the Penguins War is the best IMO hahaha
But,
I might be biased as I love penguins hehehe

JMO

 

[Lilibet]

Still,
the Penguins War was the best IMO hahaha
But,
I might be biased as I love penguins hehehe

JMO

Oh yes! How could I forget the penguins? Let’s just say the penguins win best critter AI and the MAGA wins the best human AI. So far, at least.

 

[Dotta]

I’m going to have to watch it over and over to catch all the funny little details.

Mind "peasant" remark hee hee

 

[Lilibet]

@Dotta I keep meaning to thank you for the articles you post from Europe. They really help give us a well-rounded view of the situation.

 

[SouthAussie]

.
China tells Trump: If you want trade talks, cancel tariffs

"Commerce Ministry spokesman He Yadong said the US should remove all "unilateral tariff measures" against China "if it truly wanted" to solve the issue.

"The person who tied the bell must untie it," he added.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said China and the US had "not conducted consultations or negotiations on tariffs, let alone reached an agreement".

He added that reports to the contrary were "false". "

 

[SouthAussie]

" "America often highlights its goods trade deficit while ignoring its significant surplus in services,"

Data showed that US exports of services were over $1 trillion in 2023, hitting a record high ....

In 2024, the US trade surplus in services rose to $293 billion, up 5 percent from 2023 and 25 percent from 2022 ....

Simon observed that while the United States runs deficits in goods, it consistently achieves significant surpluses in services, a structural advantage that is frequently left out of US trade rhetoric."

Trump's tariffs ignore US services surplus, risk global disruption, says German economist

www.chinadaily.com.cn