Roundup: The first salvo of a trade war

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It looks like we’ll officially be in a trade war with the United States, thanks to the decision of the American government to slap steel and aluminium tariffs on us as a direct consequence of NAFTA not being renegotiated (under the guise of “national security” concerns), and the Canadian government has opted to retaliate. And we also learned that a NAFTA deal was on the table, but because we refused the five-year sunset clause (as well we should have because it would present too much uncertainty to industry), the Americans walked away from the deal. So that’s a pretty big deal.

The tariffs could have pretty big knock-on effects on our economy, and it won’t really help the American steel industry, which is already operating pretty much at capacity, so much of Trump’s justification evaporates. And Canada’s retaliatory measures, calculated to be dollar-for-dollar on the US-imposed tariffs may sound like an odd list that includes things like yogurt, candy, pizzas and pens, it’s all carefully calculated to target the industries of swing states and key American legislators as they start heading toward mid-term elections. The objective of course is to put pressure on them, who should in turn put pressure on Trump. In theory. We’ll see.

Meanwhile, Aaron Wherry looks at how Trump is ignoring the basics of statecraft and getting away with it with impunity. Paul Wells suspects it’s time to start snubbing Trump rather than appearing eager to get a deal accomplished, since that’s what he’s more focuse don in the first place. Stephen Saideman says that Canada needs to retaliate somehow, lest it feed Trump’s perception that “maximal pressure” works in negotiations.

https://twitter.com/dgardner/status/1002189314107703297

Good reads:

  • Ahmed Hussen is floating a possible way to get around the “loophole” in the Safe Third Country Agreement by using biometrics to establish first country of contact.
  • Marie-Claude Bibeau wants G7 partners to rethink foreign aid so that women and girls are treated as agents of change instead of beneficiaries.
  • Senators voted down an amendment to ban home-growth of marijuana.
  • Here’s a look at who may (eventually) be interested in buying Trans Mountain.
  • The National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians has completed their report on the India trip, but it may not be released until the fall.
  • The CRTC is recommending levies against Internet streaming services and content providers in order to preserve Canadian content.
  • Here are two key facts that demonstrate why Energy East isn’t going to be brought back from the dead.
  • Maclean’s looked to see if the “man camp” phenomenon that might be part of building the pipeline and is seen as a danger to Indigenous women is really a Thing.
  • Here’s a lengthy look at whether Trudeau’s brand of feminism is silencing conservative feminists.
  • Further investigation into the state of 24 Sussex shows that the masonry is literally turning to sand, and it could fall apart in an earthquake.
  • Conservatives accuse the government’s environmental assessment bill as being the “death knell” of resource projects. (That’s not what environmental lawyers told me).
  • Here’s a look at some of the underlying issues in the Berier–Caesar-Chavannes slap-and-hairpull fight.
  • Here’s a look at Doug Ford’s propensity for breathtaking lies, and how the Ontario election is unmooring us from any semblance of truth in politics.
  • Bob Rae defends his legacy as premier of Ontario.

Odds and ends:

The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that the courts cannot review decisions by religious bodies as to whether they can expel a person from membership.

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