Canada - USA Trade War commencing March 2025 #2

[Herat]

Is this another example, in addition to silencing scientists, where the USA government is eroding Freedom of Speech?

How long until USA citizens are prevented from discussing hardship due to tariffs without first obtaining federal government clearance?

"He then suggested it should be a crime to criticize judges because they could be influenced by what he described as bad publicity. The remark appeared to be a new idea from Trump, who has previously castigated judges who did not rule in his favor and sought to defend legal cases in public.

Trump vents fury about his criminal cases in extraordinary speech at DoJ

In hourlong victory lap, president railed against Biden officials and their ‘🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬’ case while boosting his lawyers

www.theguardian.com

I think everyone just keeps expecting more and more unanswered blows to freedoms and the US Constitution.

 

[SouthAussie]

The concern over Carney's multiple citizenships was raised in the article posted above from the mainstream Canadian media.

Carney had acquired Irish citizenship through his family ancestry and got his U.K. passport while working overseas as the governor of the Bank of England.

He has said that, while many MPs have multiple citizenships, "as prime minister, I should only hold one."


Indeed, several million Canadians report holding more than one citizenship, while very few prime ministers have done the same.

Having ties to more than one country can complicate a politician's life.

"It's less complicated if you just have one citizenship," said Kathy Brock, a professor emerita of politics at Queen's University. Being entrusted with state secrets can prompt voter concerns about loyalties if more than one citizenship is in the mix, she says, and that's separate from any attacks from political opponents along the same lines.

Is that a "concern" though?
Carney said .... He has said that, while many MPs have multiple citizenships, "as prime minister, I should only hold one." (from your link)

Sounds as though he is aware and is working on it. And it certainly doesn't mean he has an unfit background.

imo

 

[Sundog]

England and Canada are Commonwealth Nations, so Canadians are completely comfortable with a Canadian citizen who worked in London. Government, law and justice have identical foundations.

Some citizens are completely comfortable, others maybe not so much. Good that he is renouncing his other citizenships. Surprised he is only doing it now.

 

[Sundog]

I have no issue with people who have dual citizenship, either. In politics, especially a leadership position, that's a difference circumstance altogether and those individuals give up the secondary citizenship. Which Carney is doing. Being a citizen of country, even if you were born there, doesn't aways provide protection. Think of all the Japanese who ended up in internment camps during WW2. Kind of ironic considering those with German heritage didn't end up in camps.

Musk, although a politician, has more than one citizenship. He hasn't disclosed whether he still has SA citizenship and he currently has Canadian citizenship as well as US even though he calls himself 'just an American'.

Elon has Canadian citizenship through his family, his mother. The U.S. doesn't require American citizens to give up prior citizenships they may have held, so it is natural and normal to call oneself an American and yet still be a holder of other citizenships. Not recognized by the U.S., but not required to give up other citizenships.

Also, Elon is not a politician, has never run for public office in the U.S., as far as I know. Many of us who work in government are not politicians but employees of the federal or state government.

 

[otto]

Some citizens are completely comfortable, others maybe not so much. Good that he is renouncing his other citizenships. Surprised he is only doing it now.

My impression is that the prime minister recognizes a potential perception of conflict of interest, and is taking steps to eliminate any perception that conflict exists. Prior to his position as prime minister, there was no reason to demonstrate that his sole priority is Canada - regardless of whether it was.

The prime minister's Canadian citizenship is a non-issue for Canadians. Canadians, unlike the USA, will never become obsessed with false allegations regarding citizenship (e.g.: Trump and Obama). It's not appropriate to project USA nonsense onto Canadians, eh.

The prime minister has promised that he will protect Canada's sovereignty from tariff and thievery threats from the USA. That's what matters to Canadians.

 

[Sundog]

My impression is that the prime minister recognizes a potential perception of conflict of interest, and is taking steps to eliminate any perception that conflict exists. Prior to his position as prime minister, there was no reason to demonstrate that his sole priority is Canada - regardless of whether it was.

The prime minister's Canadian citizenship is a non-issue for Canadians.

It's enough of an issue that Carney feels he has to resolve it by renouncing his other citizenships now that he is PM of Canada. Nothing to do with anyone's views in the U.S., but a situation that Carney feels he needs to address for his Canadian constituents. Makes sense, and I think it's a good choice, perhaps especially with many voters in Quebec.

 

[Lyanna]

I think everyone just keeps expecting more and more unanswered blows to freedoms and the US Constitution.

That's really sad. Feel for all those that don't want this man representing their voices and nation.

moo

 

[otto]

It's enough of an issue that Carney feels he has to resolve it by renouncing his other citizenships now that he is PM of Canada. Nothing to do with anyone's views in the U.S., but a situation that Carney feels he needs to address for his Canadian constituents. Makes sense, and I think it's a good choice, perhaps especially with many voters in Quebec.

No one cares that the prime minister is doing the right thing. It's assumed that he will.

 

[musicaljoke]

He's 59 years old. After being born and raised in Canada, where has he lived over the last 40 years? Canadians need to know how long he has lived as an adult in Canada.

Oh, I think he's had a fair bit of experience outside of Canada. He did his undergrad at Harvard, and his masters at Oxford. Then Carney spent 13 years at Goldman Sachs in their Boston, London, New York City, Tokyo, and Toronto offices.

In 2013 he took the role as governor of The Bank of England.

Given his education and career experiences, he certainly put in some valuable time in other countries.

 

[Sundog]

https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.7482992

How long will Mark Carney's honeymoon in Quebec last?​

Lecours said Carney also faces a risk in going too far in presenting a united front of Canadian provinces against Trump's tariff threats.

"We must have one Canadian economy, not 13," Carney said during the debate.

Lecours said he's "not sure this type of language will be popular" with all Quebecers.

"Even if the incentives now to have a more integrated economy are definitely present, he still needs to keep in mind the federal nature of Canada and the position of Quebec within the federation," he said.

"That's going to be, I think, a fine line for him to walk," Lecours said.

CBC asked Carney's office for clarifications on his positions on all these issues, but did not receive a response.

Bloc targets Carney​

So far, Carney seems to be walking the fine line fairly well.

Premier François Legault, whose government had several constitutional spats with the Trudeau government, congratulated Carney on his leadership win, calling him an "ally" for Quebec.

But with an election likely soon, Carney's main political foe in Quebec is sharpening his rhetoric.

Unlike in the rest of the country, where Carney's principal rival is Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, in Quebec, it's Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-François Blanchet.

"We can't think that Mark Carney is Quebec's new best friend," Blanchet said Thursday in Quebec city.

Dallaire said Blanchet will challenge Carney forcefully on Quebec issues that so far he's been mostly able to avoid.

"Blanchet is a good campaigner. He's a well-known figure in the province. And he'll ask tough questions to all federal leaders about what they are doing to protect Quebec's interests," Dallaire said.

"Carney must answer to the voters, and if he does not, there is a significant chance that the balloon will deflate," Blanchet said.

Dallaire said Carney better get used to this kind of scrutiny in Quebec.

"We know he won the leadership. He won handily. So that gives them a really good head start. But voters don't know him yet," Dallaire said.
"He's made a good first impression. But is he able to really make a lasting good impression?" he said.

 

[ekc]

Why? I am not seeing anything bad in his background. Some education and work in England - a Commonwealth country. Some education in the US. It is not like he has lived or worked in Russia.

Harvard University to 1988
Oxford University to 1995
Various roles at Goldman Sachs
Bank of Canada 2003
Dept of Finance for Canada 2004
Bank of Canada 2007
Governor of Bank of Canada - 2008-2013
Governor of Bank of England - 2013-2020

Also served as chair and head of impact investing at Brookfield Asset Management (Canadian/US company)
And as chair of the board of directors for Bloomberg L.P. (US)
Appointed the United Nations (UN) special envoy for climate action and finance
Also worked as one of many informal advisors to Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau during the COVID-19 pandemic
Was made chair of the Liberal Party's economic growth taskforce in September 2024.

Mark Carney - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

that sounds like credentials doesn't it???

 

[Yellowbelly]

I think it's foolish to call an election this early. Even though Canada has fairly restrictive regulations as to how long you can actively campaign before an election, Carney needs to illustrate his own agenda and not one tied to the Trudeau leader ship. Poilievre hasn't exactly been campaigning but his higher profile in the government making his talking points and pivoting his beliefs to adjust to the mercurial nature of Trump, could be considered a form of campaigning allowing voters to understand his points. Carney should be allowed to illustrate his. By meeting with other countries, forming alliances along the way, and testing the waters by listening to voters and responding to polls. We all remember the Kamala Harris situation.

It might not be his decision to make. The Liberals don't have a majority in the Canadian House of Commons. If the three main opposition parties unite to pass a motion of no confidence in the government when Parliament reconvenes, then Carney would have to resign as PM and, in all likelihood, the Governor General would then dissolve Parliament and call a general election.

What a “Vote of No Confidence” Means in Canadian Politics

You've heard that a vote of no confidence can topple Canada's governing party, but what exactly does it mean, and how is it accomplished?

www.readersdigest.ca

 

[otto]

https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.7482992

How long will Mark Carney's honeymoon in Quebec last?​

Lecours said Carney also faces a risk in going too far in presenting a united front of Canadian provinces against Trump's tariff threats.

"We must have one Canadian economy, not 13," Carney said during the debate.

Lecours said he's "not sure this type of language will be popular" with all Quebecers.

"Even if the incentives now to have a more integrated economy are definitely present, he still needs to keep in mind the federal nature of Canada and the position of Quebec within the federation," he said.

"That's going to be, I think, a fine line for him to walk," Lecours said.

CBC asked Carney's office for clarifications on his positions on all these issues, but did not receive a response.

Bloc targets Carney​

So far, Carney seems to be walking the fine line fairly well.

Premier François Legault, whose government had several constitutional spats with the Trudeau government, congratulated Carney on his leadership win, calling him an "ally" for Quebec.

But with an election likely soon, Carney's main political foe in Quebec is sharpening his rhetoric.

Unlike in the rest of the country, where Carney's principal rival is Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, in Quebec, it's Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-François Blanchet.

"We can't think that Mark Carney is Quebec's new best friend," Blanchet said Thursday in Quebec city.

Dallaire said Blanchet will challenge Carney forcefully on Quebec issues that so far he's been mostly able to avoid.

"Blanchet is a good campaigner. He's a well-known figure in the province. And he'll ask tough questions to all federal leaders about what they are doing to protect Quebec's interests," Dallaire said.

"Carney must answer to the voters, and if he does not, there is a significant chance that the balloon will deflate," Blanchet said.

Dallaire said Carney better get used to this kind of scrutiny in Quebec.

"We know he won the leadership. He won handily. So that gives them a really good head start. But voters don't know him yet," Dallaire said.
"He's made a good first impression. But is he able to really make a lasting good impression?" he said.

It's a ripe opportunity for Conservatives to form a coalition with Bloc Quebecois to ensure the rights of all Canadians are protected. The Liberals and NDP have run the country too long.

What Western Canada has had to tolerate for the last 4 years is a minority coalition government run by Liberal (left of centre) and NDP (take from the rich, give to the poor). The liberal government has passed law to completely handicap Western Canada from developing international trade corridors for natural resources. At the same time, Eastern Canada relies on equalization payments from Western Canada. That is, Eastern Canada holds out their hand for money while tying one hand of Western Canada behind their backs. No one in Eastern Canada minds as long as they receive their equalization payments.

My impression is that the new prime minister will not change his liberal stripes. Even if he eases restrictions on exporting Western Canada natural resources to new trade partners, there will be a heavy price to pay to Eastern Canadians ... again.

I suspect that the new prime minister's tariff focus will be on Eastern Canada too. Oil tariffs will be held as the trump card, something which the federal government has the authority to do - against the will of the Alberta premier.

image link: BBC

 

[otto]

It might not be his decision to make. The Liberals don't have a majority in the Canadian House of Commons. If the three main opposition parties unite to pass a motion of no confidence in the government when Parliament reconvenes, then Carney would have to resign as PM and, in all likelihood, the Governor General would then dissolve Parliament and call a general election.

What a “Vote of No Confidence” Means in Canadian Politics

You've heard that a vote of no confidence can topple Canada's governing party, but what exactly does it mean, and how is it accomplished?

www.readersdigest.ca

NDP is waivering on that right now. NDP wants more time to see whether they can ensure another power relationship with the new liberal prime minister. They want more money set aside to protect unions and employees who lose jobs due to tariffs.

 

[Herat]

Why? I am not seeing anything bad in his background. Some education and work in England - a Commonwealth country. Some education in the US. It is not like he has lived or worked in Russia.

Harvard University to 1988
Oxford University to 1995
Various roles at Goldman Sachs
Bank of Canada 2003
Dept of Finance for Canada 2004
Bank of Canada 2007
Governor of Bank of Canada - 2008-2013
Governor of Bank of England - 2013-2020

Also served as chair and head of impact investing at Brookfield Asset Management (Canadian/US company)
And as chair of the board of directors for Bloomberg L.P. (US)
Appointed the United Nations (UN) special envoy for climate action and finance
Also worked as one of many informal advisors to Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau during the COVID-19 pandemic
Was made chair of the Liberal Party's economic growth taskforce in September 2024.

Mark Carney - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

As the tariff situtation with Canada gets more real, I would not be surprised to find Trump or one of his acolytes (Rubio, for example) to be making disparaging, snide, and very personal remarks about Carney, his family, or especially his education.

Something that his redneck followers would love to be able to shout at rallies to make him look elitist, non-Canadian, or worse.

He wouldn't do it personally, because he would not want to annoy King Charles, but he will use Rubio or the Secretary of Commerce, Lutnick, who seems to have no problem using his bosses methods of personal degradation and name calling.

 

[keek]

As the tariff situtation with Canada gets more real, I would not be surprised to find Trump or one of his acolytes (Rubio, for example) to be making disparaging, snide, and very personal remarks about Carney, his family, or especially his education.

Something that his redneck followers would love to be able to shout at rallies to make him look elitist, non-Canadian, or worse.

He wouldn't do it personally, because he would not want to annoy King Charles, but he will use Rubio or the Secretary of Commerce, Lutnick, who seems to have no problem using his bosses methods of personal degradation and name calling.

He'll do it himself in his rants. King C will become not even a real king per t at some point too, he's that ludicrous.

 

[Trooper]

He was born and raised in Canada. The big question is: why does he have two other passports?

Obviously, his parents perhaps were born in the UK and Ireland..... and most likely, he , being entitled to do so, felt., due to the complete schemozzle British passports are now in ( he would have had that UKK one to get the job with the bank of England __ ) and Irish passport is the handiest thing to have,, One of the amusing footnotes to Brexit is the sheer amount of people in England who discovered an Irish grandparent, and having never admitted to any Irishness before , suddenly ran to the passport office to declare themselves as Irish as Paddy's pig.

Ir saves time in the airport queue... a very great deal of time when you want to go to Europe after you said you want to have nothing to do with it !

 

[Trooper]

That sounds a bit like Trump's obsession with Obama's citizenship.

sure does...... its birtherism all over again.

 

[otto]

As the tariff situation with Canada gets more real, I would not be surprised to find Trump or one of his acolytes (Rubio, for example) to be making disparaging, snide, and very personal remarks about Carney, his family, or especially his education.

Something that his redneck followers would love to be able to shout at rallies to make him look elitist, non-Canadian, or worse.

He wouldn't do it personally, because he would not want to annoy King Charles, but he will use Rubio or the Secretary of Commerce, Lutnick, who seems to have no problem using his bosses methods of personal degradation and name calling.

Crystia Freeland has similar credentials, and Trump was particularly rude towards her. It is expected that the USA federal government will describe the current prime minister in derogatory terms. The president has demonstrated that he is incapable of responding to ideas. When he doesn't get what he wants, he's rude - always rude, sometimes with shouting and ranting.

We're just waiting for the new Canadian government to finish organizing the first phone call with the USA - since the usual congratulatory phone call from the USA did not happen. After that phone call, the USA government will most likely launch into another tirade about nasty, mean, thieving, cheating, subsidized (is it 500 trillion yet?), unfair Canada.

There have been warnings from Canada to the USA government that rudeness will not be tolerated. Perhaps it will be a short phone call. If the USA government needs to unload emotional baggage, that should happen prior to the phone call - the abusive USA government needs to deal with their emotional problems on their own, not aimed at foreign leaders.

 

[musicaljoke]

Crystia Freeland has similar credentials, and Trump was particularly rude towards her. It is expected that the USA federal government will describe the current prime minister in derogatory terms. The president has demonstrated that he is incapable of responding to ideas. When he doesn't get what he wants, he's rude - always rude, sometimes with shouting and ranting.

We're just waiting for the new Canadian government to finish organizing the first phone call with the USA - since the usual congratulatory phone call from the USA did not happen. After that phone call, the USA government will most likely launch into another tirade about nasty, mean, thieving, cheating, subsidized (is it 500 trillion yet?), unfair Canada.

There have been warnings from Canada to the USA government that rudeness will not be tolerated. Perhaps it will be a short phone call. If the USA government needs to unload emotional baggage, that should happen prior to the phone call - the abusive USA government needs to deal with their emotional problems on their own, not aimed at foreign leaders.

There should be a seven second delay on that phone call. Go off track and ... click. no body needs to hear any more.