Roundup: Tantrums, and Ford capitulates

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The day started off with a tantrum—Donald Trump screaming that Ontario wasn’t allowed to put the “surcharge” on their electricity exports, and said he was going to make Canada pay dearly, and then threatened to ramp up the incoming steel and aluminium tariffs to 50 percent. That caused another huge panic, and by the end of the day, Doug Ford had secured a meeting with Howard Lutnick (apparently with Dominic LeBlanc), and suspended the “surcharge,” while Trump decided that the global steel and aluminium tariffs were still coming, but only at 25 percent, and those are now in effect. And that in turn will trigger more retaliatory tariffs from the Canadian federal government. Trump also went on an extended rant about annexation, but flattered Ford in the process, which made me want to throw up a little.

Guys, I’m just so tired.

I scarcely know where to begin. The regulations for that “surcharge” were released, and it reads very much like a cute attempt to pretend that they’re not tariffs for the sake of international trade, so that he can pretend this is provincial jurisdiction and not federal. After two days of bluster and going on every cable news show in the US insisting he wasn’t going to back down on this “surcharge” until the tariffs were gone, and that he was going to go even further, it took one phone call with Lutnik and Ford capitulated right as the global steel and aluminium tariffs were coming into place, so how exactly did he help Ontario or anyone? I’m at a loss. He’s also pretending that he has a role in international negotiations, neglecting in his tweet to mention that Dominic LeBlanc will be at the table with Lutnik, but on top of that, you think you’re actually going to be negotiating a renewed NAFTA? Really? Given that Trump has proven that any agreement he signs isn’t worth the paper it’s written on because he only operates in bad faith? And you still want to go ahead with this farce?

Meanwhile, Poilievre demanded 50 percent retaliatory tariffs if the steel and aluminium tariffs went to 50 percent, Jagmeet Singh continues to demand that Parliament be summoned to pass a package of aid for workers before the election, and Elizabeth May wants a “wartime Cabinet,” and I just can’t because it misunderstands what actually happened during the First World War. Also, Alberta’s energy minister Brian Jean thinks he’s an international negotiator too. And hey, here’s a plausible explanation for Trump’s constant tariff chaos—because affected CEOs have to pay millions to see him at Mar-a-Lago to plead their case, and he’s making a lot of money that way.

Ukraine Dispatch

Ukraine downed a ballistic missile and 70 out of 126 drones in Monday night’s attack, while Russia claims they are making progress in reclaiming Kursk region. Ukrainian drones struck two more Russian oil facilities, with explosions recorded. The US says they are resuming military aid and intelligence sharing after Ukraine said they were willing to sign onto a ceasefire proposal, but Russia has not agreed yet (and won’t agree because they don’t want a ceasefire). AP has a selection of photos from the war.

Good reads:

  • While Mark Carney’s team met with PMO staff, Carney met with Kirsten Hillman, the Chief of Defence Staff, RCMP Commissioner, and the “Fentanyl Commissioner.”
  • Carney is hoping to have his Cabinet ready in order to be sworn-in on Thursday or Friday at Rideau Hall, and it could be a smaller Cabinet.
  • Carney’s selection means that the capital gains changes are effectively dead, and high-wealth individuals can keep engaging in tax arbitrage.
  • The federal government reached a $70-million funding deal with Alberta to help with the homelessness crisis there.
  • The Canadian Forces are looking at procuring new helicopters, one of whose jobs will be to respond to F-35 crashes in the Arctic (as they only have a single engine).
  • Here is a look at how countervailing tariffs will affect the housing industry in Canada, and inevitably raise prices given how much we import from the US.
  • The Logic has a longread about a potential pozzolan mine in New Brunswick, which has divided the local community to the point of violence.
  • Canadians who spend more than thirty days the US will have to submit fingerprints to Homeland Security.
  • Remember AUKUS, the Australian-US submarine deal this country’s Elder Pundits brayed about their FOMO over? Looks like the Americans won’t live up to their end.
  • Pierre Poilievre is launching Quebec ads that own his being “blunt” and “grating” in the hopes to win over those voters; not everyone is convinced it’ll work.
  • BC is trying to use the trade war chaos to attract doctors and nurses from the US, making credentials recognition easier.
  • Colby Cosh remarks on the Americans’ bewilderment as to why we’re so upset with them over the imposition of tariffs.
  • Althia Raj hears from Liberals and others who are upset with Carney’s choice of Marco Mendicino as chief of staff, and consider it his first blunder out of the gate.
  • My column wonders if politically-untested Carney has the fortitude for actual political battles, or if he’ll get the vapours like fellow finance guy Bill Morneau did.

Odds and ends:

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One thought on “Roundup: Tantrums, and Ford capitulates”

  1. Doug Ford was so disappointing yesterday. It undid months of rhetoric. Then there was the question, since when does the premier of Ontario conduct negotiations for international trade agreements. It took hours for the media to mention Dominic Leblanc would be there.

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