5 ms·

Nice to see a principled stand by a regional leader. I've seen people (e.g. Shopify's CEO) complain that Canada should be more compliant to the U.S.'s demands.

by danso 2y ago

Nice to see a principled stand by a regional leader. I've seen people (e.g. Shopify's CEO) complain that Canada should be more compliant to the U.S.'s demands. But that implies there is something reasonable to be complaint to [0]. The amount of fentanyl and illegal immigrants that cross over from Canada is relatively minuscule, not any more egregious than the traffic of illegal guns from the U.S. It's absolute insanity start a trade war with our closest and oldest ally. [0] https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/02/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-imposes-tariffs-on-imports-from-canada-mexico-and-china/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/02/fact-sheet-pr...

ttyprintk 2y ago
The fentanyl excuse is technically necessary because the US President only has emergency powers in matters of commerce. He would emphasize decreasingly-urgent excuses without fentanyl, each looking expedient and cynical. Failing to persuade Congress to rubber-stamp this might expose Trump as weak.
- maxerickson 2y ago
  A single member can bring a resolution to question the declared emergency, with the statute granting the emergency powers requiring the resolution to be brought to the floor relatively quickly.
  - ttyprintk 2y ago
    Since fentanyl is mostly smuggled by US citizens, I’m not sure what kind of emergency this is that it needs the executive to overrule the legislative on commerce.
mdhb 2y ago
Shopify’s CEO has been a known weirdo for a long time now.
rchaud 2y ago
Doug Ford is doing this 180 out of sheer political necessity. There is an Ontario provincial election later this month, and he is desperate to reverse the perception that Canada's conservatives (especially at the federal level) are too enamoured of maga-style slash-and-burn politics after using it successfully to protest Covid lockdowns 3 years ago. There was no need for a Starlink deal to begin with, especially as his government has slashed millions in education and healthcare funding in Ontario, and has a multi-billion dollar transit line in Toronto that's several years behind schedule. There is a federal election scheduled for later in the year as well, and cosying up to present American lunacy isn't going to be a winning formula.
- kotaKat 2y ago
  This. I'm amazed the man is doing anything pro-Ontario/Canada at this point. Any other time he's been self-serving for himself or his financial interests. See also: Ontario Place, the continual handshake deals with Galen Weston (might as well call it Shoppers Doug Mart), etc.
  - cf100clunk 2y ago
    Perhaps Ontarians are finding themselves looking at Premier Ford's new patriotitic platform in the way that some U.S. religious leaders wince and cringe at their president's peccadillos yet pat him on the back for delivering on issues they tout. Politics 101, as transparent as it is.
cf100clunk 2y ago
The Canadian PM, Cabinet, Provincial, and Territorial leaders have stepped forward in what they'd been war-gaming for quite some time, as have party, business, and labour leaders. While most of them are going for Churchillian tones, Alberta's PM seems to be channeling a mix of Neville Chamberlain and Vidkun Quisling, and Saskatchewan's PM lets slip similarly undermining thoughts. Then you have the Kevin O'Leary Ferengi-types who see profit in backing the U.S. president's plans, plain and simple.

by danso 2y ago

ttyprintk 2y ago

The fentanyl excuse is technically necessary because the US President only has emergency powers in matters of commerce. He would emphasize decreasingly-urgent excuses without fentanyl, each looking expedient and cynical. Failing to persuade Congress to rubber-stamp this might expose Trump as weak.

maxerickson 2y ago
A single member can bring a resolution to question the declared emergency, with the statute granting the emergency powers requiring the resolution to be brought to the floor relatively quickly.
- ttyprintk 2y ago
  Since fentanyl is mostly smuggled by US citizens, I’m not sure what kind of emergency this is that it needs the executive to overrule the legislative on commerce.

mdhb 2y ago

Shopify’s CEO has been a known weirdo for a long time now.

rchaud 2y ago

Doug Ford is doing this 180 out of sheer political necessity. There is an Ontario provincial election later this month, and he is desperate to reverse the perception that Canada's conservatives (especially at the federal level) are too enamoured of maga-style slash-and-burn politics after using it successfully to protest Covid lockdowns 3 years ago. There was no need for a Starlink deal to begin with, especially as his government has slashed millions in education and healthcare funding in Ontario, and has a multi-billion dollar transit line in Toronto that's several years behind schedule. There is a federal election scheduled for later in the year as well, and cosying up to present American lunacy isn't going to be a winning formula.

kotaKat 2y ago
This. I'm amazed the man is doing anything pro-Ontario/Canada at this point. Any other time he's been self-serving for himself or his financial interests. See also: Ontario Place, the continual handshake deals with Galen Weston (might as well call it Shoppers Doug Mart), etc.
- cf100clunk 2y ago
  Perhaps Ontarians are finding themselves looking at Premier Ford's new patriotitic platform in the way that some U.S. religious leaders wince and cringe at their president's peccadillos yet pat him on the back for delivering on issues they tout. Politics 101, as transparent as it is.

cf100clunk 2y ago

The Canadian PM, Cabinet, Provincial, and Territorial leaders have stepped forward in what they'd been war-gaming for quite some time, as have party, business, and labour leaders. While most of them are going for Churchillian tones, Alberta's PM seems to be channeling a mix of Neville Chamberlain and Vidkun Quisling, and Saskatchewan's PM lets slip similarly undermining thoughts. Then you have the Kevin O'Leary Ferengi-types who see profit in backing the U.S. president's plans, plain and simple.