Canada - USA Trade War commencing March 2025 #3

[otto]

You're forgetting that the US worker who makes that t-shirt will expect a wage of 15-20 dollars per hour, plus health insurance. Add that to the cost of making t-shirts in the US.

True, but employees in the EU, Canada, and many other countries expect that same wage.

 

[Mo Thuairim]

Canadians pull back on U.S. trips, threatening to widen United States’ $50 billion travel deficit​

Canadians are skipping trips to the U.S. and visitors from other countries could soon follow threatening to deepen the United States’ $50 billion travel deficit.

Experts say they’re pulling back for a variety of reasons, ranging from an unfavorable currency exchange rate to the U.S. political climate given President Donald Trump’s trade policies and his public statements on annexing Canada, as well as high-profile detainments of people who already had visas to be in the U.S., long wait visa times and other policies that have added to tensions with longtime close allies.

Reached for comment Friday, a White House spokesperson said by email that “everybody wants to come to President Trump’s America.”

Canadians “will no longer have to endure the inconveniences of international travel when Canada becomes our 51st state” and that “Europeans are eager to enjoy the Golden Age of America if they so choose to,” the spokesperson said.

[...]

(This administration's staffers honestly seem to be trolling now.)

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/28/canada-united-states-travel.html

 

[otto]

Canadians pull back on U.S. trips, threatening to widen United States’ $50 billion travel deficit​

Canadians are skipping trips to the U.S. and visitors from other countries could soon follow threatening to deepen the United States’ $50 billion travel deficit.

Experts say they’re pulling back for a variety of reasons, ranging from an unfavorable currency exchange rate to the U.S. political climate given President Donald Trump’s trade policies and his public statements on annexing Canada, as well as high-profile detainments of people who already had visas to be in the U.S., long wait visa times and other policies that have added to tensions with longtime close allies.

Reached for comment Friday, a White House spokesperson said by email that “everybody wants to come to President Trump’s America.”

Canadians “will no longer have to endure the inconveniences of international travel when Canada becomes our 51st state” and that “Europeans are eager to enjoy the Golden Age of America if they so choose to,” the spokesperson said.

[...]

(This administration's staffers honestly seem to be trolling now.)

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/28/canada-united-states-travel.html

Propaganda at it's best - direct from the USA Federal Government!

There was never any inconvenience travelling from Canada to the USA ... until the last 3 months. Canadians are now harassed and, in some cases, arrested and detained for a couple of weeks in barbaric conditions. Europeans have the same experience. Why take the risk?

Calling authoritarianism "golden age" is exactly what we expect from the current double-speak government.

The truth will be felt by the USA tourist industry in 3 months. Who will the government blame then?

 

[Cedars]

You're forgetting that the US worker who makes that t-shirt will expect a wage of 15-20 dollars per hour, plus health insurance. Add that to the cost of making t-shirts in the US.

I remember when clothing was all made in Canada or the US and I couldn't afford it - really had to save up for something new (no thrift stores, either).

Then came globalization and cheap imports. No one manufacturers clothing in North America anymore (except Mexicans).

Conservatives always want to try to turn the clock back, and they never succeed, they can only slow things down. Trump can't turn the clock back to pre-globalization, because that was due to forces beyond anyones control - namely technology change.

JMO

 

[indicolite22]

Canadians “will no longer have to endure the inconveniences of international travel when Canada becomes our 51st state” and that “Europeans are eager to enjoy the Golden Age of America if they so choose to,” the spokesperson said.

SBM. Not "if" but "when". The audacity and entitlement are infuriating. At a minimum, Trump and his cronies should be refused entry to any country they are threatening with annexation. There are no Europeans eager to support Trump's madness. The likes of Orban are outcasts in Europe.

 

[Herat]

Oh, I just read a post elsewhere and the poster was claiming:

1. Buy an American car and there is no tariff
2. Buy an American car and there is no interest on the loan
3. Can't wait to have the tax on Social Security to be removed.

Wow. That's a huge amount of Koolaid to be drinking.

1. There may be no "tariff" on American cars, but all auto industry forecasters are estimating the price of an US made auto is going up at least $3000, if not more. This person bought a Lincoln Nautilus. Turns out it is made only in China.
2. There is no foregiveness on loans that I have seen as a promotion. If you have to have a loan, you'd better be a really good negotiator, as the interest rates are going to go up on auto loans and the demand is going to keep the rates up for some time ( like the next 3 months, until the inventories drop)
3. The Social Security tax reduction is a massive shell game by Trump for those who are too lazy to review SS taxes or what the other tax changes coming will cause. Really sad to be taking advantage of the poorer older people who don't realize how little effect this will make on their personal tax filings, in exchange for reducing their monthly payments for the rest of their lives. Fools, fools, fools.

I also have not heard anything about tariffs being tax-deductible. That is gonna be a big nasty shock for some people.

 

[HmmMysterious]

They are turning on themselves now. I watched a video last night where a former "MAGA junkie" lost her govt job, said she wished she didn't vote for Trump (but she believed him, and she was fully immersed in the MAGA scene) ... and she is now getting her home egged and receiving death threats.

Another former "MAGA junkie" wouldn't reveal her identity for fear of retaliation.

It seems kind of like a gang. Once you are in, you can't leave it.

'MAGA Junkie' Trump Voter Has Big Regrets After Losing Government Job In DOGE Purge

The one-time supporter also offered a message directly to the president.

www.huffpost.com

Honestly, I ran out of F's to give for these people. Trump said what he was going to do and these people bought it.

 

[otto]

I remember when clothing was all made in Canada or the US and I couldn't afford it - really had to save up for something new (no thrift stores, either).

Then came globalization and cheap imports. No one manufacturers clothing in North America anymore (except Mexicans).

Conservatives always want to try to turn the clock back, and they never succeed, they can only slow things down. Trump can't turn the clock back to pre-globalization, because that was due to forces beyond anyones control - namely technology change.

JMO

Decades ago, auto production was outsourced to Canada for expertise and Mexico for cheap labour. Trump misrepresents the reason that automakers are spread between Canada-USA-Mexico. He claims that Canada and Mexcio are thieves who stole parts of the auto industry. There's no truth to that.

Same thing happened to clothing manufacturing - cheaper in China, Korea, Bangladesh, Vietnam, and other foreign countries.

Agreed - cannot turn back time. The USA needs to improve education, and train engineers and tradespeople, before they will have a functioning automaker industry. They don't have that today.

Even if clothing manufacturing plants are built in the USA, the cost will not compete with Asian's cheap labour and low environmental law options. However, it was posted here yesterday that Trump expects 14 year old children (USA citizens) to work in agriculture fields at night, so perhaps he has the same plan for clothing manufacturing in the USA ... child labour and child exploitation.

 

[indicolite22]

Honestly, I ran out of F's to give for these people. Trump said what he was going to do and these people bought it.

Most would still be okay with it all if they weren't personally negatively affected.

 

[indicolite22]

Decades ago, auto production was outsourced to Canada for expertise and Mexico for cheap labour. Trump misrepresents the reason that automakers are spread between Canada-USA-Mexico. He claims that Canada and Mexcio are thieves who stole parts of the auto industry. There's no truth to that.

Same thing happened to clothing manufacturing - cheaper in China, Korea, Bangladesh, Vietnam, and other foreign countries.

Agreed - cannot turn back time. The USA needs to improve education, and train engineers and tradespeople, before they will have a functioning automaker industry. They don't have that today.

Even if clothing manufacturing plants are built in the USA, the cost will not compete with Asian's cheap labour and low environmental law options. However, it was posted here yesterday that Trump expects 14 year old children (USA citizens) to work in agriculture fields at night, so perhaps he has the same plan for clothing manufacturing in the USA ... child labour and child exploitation.

Musk wants to import engineers for his businesses who will work for less than Americans.

 

[Herat]

Decades ago, auto production was outsourced to Canada for expertise and Mexico for cheap labour. Trump misrepresents the reason that automakers are spread between Canada-USA-Mexico. He claims that Canada and Mexcio are thieves who stole parts of the auto industry. There's no truth to that.

Same thing happened to clothing manufacturing - cheaper in China, Korea, Bangladesh, Vietnam, and other foreign countries.

Agreed - cannot turn back time. The USA needs to improve education, and train engineers and tradespeople, before they will have a functioning automaker industry. They don't have that today.

Even if clothing manufacturing plants are built in the USA, the cost will not compete with Asian's cheap labour and low environmental law options. However, it was posted here yesterday that Trump expects 14 year old children (USA citizens) to work in agriculture fields at night, so perhaps he has the same plan for clothing manufacturing in the USA ... child labour and child exploitation.

I remember the expose' years ago how clothing labeled "Made in USA" was made in Saipan and other US territories, not in the southern US states as the articles implied.

The costs of labor were far cheaper in Saipan than even Alabama or Arkansas and it was really deceptive advertising.

I wonder if that is still occuring?

 

[otto]

Musk wants to import engineers for his businesses who will work for less than Americans.

That's funny! It sounds like he wants to import Canadian automaker employees to work in the USA as under-privileged foreign workers. Maybe he can set them up in government owned buildings and deduct their rent and food from their income. Trump sure has a bad attitude about people in foreign countries! He seems to view foreigners as slaves for the USA people.

 

[indicolite22]

That's funny! It sounds like he wants to import Canadian automaker employees to work in the USA as under-privileged foreign workers. Maybe he can set them up in government owned buildings and deduct their rent and food from their income. Trump sure has a bad attitude about people in foreign countries! He seems to view foreigners as slaves for the USA people.

I think Musk mentioned India as one of the source countries.

 

[Herat]

I think Musk mentioned India as one of the source countries.

Right now India is not happy at all about the outrageous way numerous Indian H1-b work visa holders were treated like criminals, handcuffed and deported back to India. These were not gang members. They were software engineers and tech people.

 

[otto]

I think Musk mentioned India as one of the source countries.

Of course - they make such good employees in his tech industry, why not put them to work in automotives. They'll still be living in housing compounds, with room and board deducted from their wages, sending what's left home to India. That's no life for anyone.

 

[otto]

The Prime Minister of Denmark has responded to USA government rude remarks about Greenland.

When Trump said he would displace the people of Gaza and build a Trump resort, Egypt stepped up, developed a plan for Gaza and said that the USA is welcome to contribute funds. That's it. Trump backed down.

Denmark seems to taking the same position. Denmark and NATO will look after Greenland, the USA is not needed other than as a member of NATO.

"The State Minister reiterates that the tone is not justified between allies, but points out that it is right that security in the Arctic must be increased:

- That is why Denmark is now strengthening our efforts. With, among other things, more surveillance, new Arctic ships, long-range drones and satellite capacity. More capacities will come later. And we can strengthen security more quickly if we can get the necessary supplies, among other things, from the USA, she writes.

She also emphasizes that it is important that NATO takes on a greater role for Greenland:

- Greenland is part of NATO, and therefore there is also a need for NATO to significantly increase its presence in the Arctic. Security in the Arctic is a matter for NATO and for all Arctic allies, says Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen."

LIVEBLOG - Demonstration i Danmark for Grønland

Sermitsiaq opretter en liveblog i forbindelse med Usha Vances besøg i Grønland. Følg med her.

www.sermitsiaq.ag

 

[otto]

There are a couple of reasons that the USA has not asked Canada for eggs. There's the obvious war waged against Canada, but it's more than that. Canada has an egg supply for 40 million people, not 340 million. The USA, with the third largest population in the world, needs eggs from several over-producing countries to meet USA egg supply demands. I bet there's no tariff on eggs!

Meanwhile, the true price of large brown eggs from certified organic, free-range pasture hens that are fed balanced grains without animal byproducts cost $10CAN, or $7USD. I'm curious whether there's a shortage of healthy eggs in the USA as well ... or just regular eggs.

"Meanwhile, Trump has repeatedly boasted that the U.S. doesn't need anything from Canada. Which raises the question: have they asked Canada for eggs? And the answer is: No.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/eggs-us-canada-europe-1.7495959

 

[Lyanna]

Today I'm feeling very glum about this all.

I'm so sorry

Moo

 

[Yellowbelly]

The Danes sure don’t have the power to sell it. They might like to think they do. idk

This whole buying and selling territory thing is thoroughly 19th century. Nowadays we believe in self-determination, don't we. Ultimately, what happens to Greenland is up to the Greenlanders.

 

[Yellowbelly]

Where, most likely now, the Greenlanders will see that independence from Denmark may not be the wisest move at this point in time, and the whole independence thing will lose momentum.. The Greenlanders are, above most other things, a pragmatic people, one has to be to live in such a challenging environment, which is why I expect them to reconsider the position, out of sheer practicality, with the blustering Vance banging on the door.

Vance can't even keep track of who he is supposed to be talking with, what would be the point of talking with Denmark AFTER selfdetermination of independence FROM Denmark , he trips over his own words, and can't keep a grip on what he's on about. Pitiful stuff, 5th rate stuff , kindergarten stuff.

I think your first sentence is already happening. Hence the suprise victory for the 'Give us independence from Denmark, O Lord, but not yet' party in the recent Greenland general election.