When British India was divided in 1947, creating India and Pakistan, Pakistan's founding father, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, expressed hope that the two nations could be friends and trading partners like the USA and Canada. However, this vision did not materialize in this region despite high hopes and still hasn’t.
Currently, we are witnessing an unprecedented unfortunate situation between the US and Canada, with shifting dynamics and changing goalposts, indicating a significant transformation. If Mr. Jinnah had been alive to witness this seismic shift, he would have had to find another example to convey his meaning.
Nevertheless, this tariff action from the President of the United States Donald Trump not only enabled but forced Canada to think outside the box and Canadian Nationalism has come to life from a sort of hibernation due to many factors, one of them being newcomers not gelling in and adopting to the Canadian way of life as quickly as Canada wanted them to, now however, the Canadians seem more united and will find new ways to not only survive but thrive in the economic model which is not so ‘free trade’ based anymore at least this is what it seems at this juncture.
The revival of Canadian nationalism which has been triggered by Donald Trump's aggressive rhetoric and belligerent policies, including tariffs and even suggestions of annexation should be viewed as a blessing in disguise. These actions have sparked a wave of patriotism across Canada, with citizens rallying around their national identity and values. From boycotting American goods to celebrating uniquely Canadian traditions, this renewed sense of unity reflects a collective determination to assert sovereignty and resist external pressures. It’s a moment of defiance and pride, as Canadians reaffirm what sets their nation apart from the rest of the world including the United States.
The enactment of U.S. tariffs has prompted Canada to hit back with retaliatory countermeasures, including reciprocal tariffs on American goods. These steps aim to protect Canadian industries, such as steel, aluminum, and automotive, but they also carry economic consequences for Canadians. Retaliation is slated to lead to higher costs for consumers, disruptions in supply chains, and further strained trade relations with not only the United States but also within our interprovincial trade dealings. While Canada’s measures demonstrate resilience and sovereignty, they also highlight the challenges of navigating economic uncertainty and maintaining stability in key sectors. In a nutshell, Trump's unnecessary trade war has turned international trade and business on its head and Share markets tanking.
Trump already said that he would prefer liberals at the helm so he can deal with them more easily than conservatives so for Trump Poilievre is the least of a choice
This contributor was visiting the United States a couple of months ago and noticed there is a sense of confusion, invisible stress and restlessness amongst the people due to Trump's actions and unpredictability of those actions.
Meanwhile, back in Canada, the country is in an election frenzy at the moment as federal elections were announced to be held on April 28 which is less than a month away. Although Trudeau's performance was lackluster, to say the least leading up to his departure, he managed to execute a strategic move, while Pierre Poilievre, the conservative leader faltered. By announcing his intention to resign in January and proroguing parliament until the end of March, Trudeau bought the Liberals crucial time to regain momentum and introduce a new leader Mark Carney—though some argue it's merely a rebranding of the same old approach and a old wine is being presented in a new bottle, still the poll numbers have been turned.
The dynamics between Trump and Trudeau significantly influenced the Conservatives in a way that they could not deal with it as quickly as they should have, and Poilievre missed an opportunity by not staying in the spotlight. His fiery parliamentary speeches, which dominated headlines last year, were notably absent. Some might even argue that the Conservatives have become irrelevant in the current political landscape. As Trudeau exits, he leaves behind a political masterstroke, effectively disrupting Poilievre's momentum and denying him the opposition he needed to regain his footing.
Poilievre should have now changed gears and should have improvised his approach by offering the panacea to all the ills he kept highlighting which are also the fact that many Canadians are facing them directly or indirectly, for example, high cost of living, higher taxes, increased crime rate, lack of proper housing and real estate prices getting out of hand. The conservatives have not done that and are now lower in the polls to win a majority.
Trump already said that he would prefer liberals at the helm so he can deal with them more easily than conservatives so for Trump Poilievre is the least of a choice.
The whole electoral outcome was hanging on just one phone call which was made last month. For one Trump did not call Mark Carney 'Governor' and addressed him as ‘Prime Minister Mark Carney‘ in his Truth Social tweet and sounded so confident that he probably first time used wording like ‘extremely productive call’ and that he will be meeting with him immediately after the election, this is some confidence and can be taken as influencing the Canadian voters. Very strange but after all it is Trump. It seems he has also dropped the rhetorical mantra of 51st State at least for now.
The question remains why Trump is leaning towards liberals while the current opposition led by Poilievre is more aligned towards Trump’s way of politics, for example, official recognition of only two genders, rejection of DEI up to some extent, and more stringent punishments for criminals including deportation if they have no legal status in addition to bringing back life sentences for some more heinous crimes, the answer seems to be he wants easy negotiations and thinks Canadian conservatives will perhaps prove too difficult for him as they are as hard in negotiations as Trump himself.