Published in the Toronto Sun
31 August 2018
In the wake of the announcement that President Donald Trump has reached a new trade agreement with Mexico to replace the NAFTA agreement, one that Canada has until this Friday (31 August) to join, it’s becoming quite apparent just how badly Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has blown the Canada-U.S. trade file.
Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland is now headed to Washington to try to negotiate our position in the trade pact formerly known as NAFTA, but I can’t help thinking of that famous line from the movie The Godfather:
“Luca Brasi held a gun to his head, and my father assured him that either his brains or his signature would be on the contract.”
It’s foolish for us to think we have anything left to bargain in this deal. Freeland should just sign the deal and forget about trying to “stand up to Trump” anymore. Trudeau and company had their chance to negotiate a trade deal that would benefit Canada, but they blew it in favour of a social-justice warrior agenda that has absolutely no place in an international trade agreement.
By the way, for any snowflakes out there, no I’m not saying President Trump should put a gun to Freeland’s head and threaten to shoot her. I’m using that quote as a metaphor.
God save us all from the incompetent government we have in Ottawa. I’ll be so happy to see October 2019 come around when Canadians will finally have the chance to send Prime Minister Dressup and his merry band of social-justice warriors packing. I just hope that Andrew Scheer and the Conservatives can get their act together by then, otherwise the Conservative party might as well disband. Maxime Bernier just might see his current party-of-one become the new home for conservatives in Canada after all.
I always joke about Hillary Clinton’s loss as the answer to the question: “So, just how bad a candidate do you have to be to lose to Donald Trump?” Andrew Scheer just might earn the same honour if he fails to defeat Trudeau in the next election. No pressure Andrew; no pressure.
(In spite of his government’s many incompetencies, it is still very difficult to knock out an incumbent. And remember that governments lose, opposition parties don’t win)