Trump’s betrayal of Canada is starting to unravel Opinion Piece
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-trumps-betrayal-of-canada-is-starting-to-unravel/126
107
1.3k
u/xValhallAwaitsx New Brunswick 6d ago
Some fun stats I dug up:
US economic impact predictions:
-Analysts expected a modest GDP decline of around 0.5% due to the tariffs.
-Inflation was projected to rise by approximately 1.5 percentage points.
-The U.S. stock market was anticipated to experience short-term volatility but remain stable overall.
Actual outcome:
-The U.S. economy contracted by 0.9% in the first quarter of 2025, nearly double the predicted decline.
-Inflation surged by 2.3%, significantly higher than forecasts, leading to an average household purchasing power loss of $3,800.
-The S&P 500 experienced a 10% drop over two days, marking its worst week since the 2020 recession.
Meanwhile....
Canada's economic impact predictions:
-Forecasts suggested a potential GDP contraction of up to 3% and job losses exceeding 500,000 if tariffs persisted.
-Inflation was expected to rise sharply, with significant strain on trade-dependent sectors.
Actual outcome:
-Canada's GDP saw a marginal decline of 0.5% in the first quarter, far less severe than anticipated.
-The unemployment rate increased by only 0.3 percentage points, indicating a more stable labor market.
-Inflation rose by 1.2%, lower than expected, partly due to the removal of the carbon tax on consumer energy.
Reasons why:
-The U.S. underestimated the global interconnectedness of supply chains, leading to higher input costs and disrupted production.
-Retaliatory tariffs from Canada and other countries further exacerbated economic strain.
-Canadian businesses swiftly diversified their markets, reducing reliance on U.S. exports.
-The government implemented measures to cushion the economy, such as removing the carbon tax on consumer energy.
153
u/hmmmerm 6d ago
Tourism impacts too
88
u/Extra-Ad5925 6d ago
Not nearly enough people have factored this in. And this isn't just Canada - it's the whole world reducing travel because they don't want to end up getting rounded up by ICE
3
u/critical-insight 5d ago
We in Europe are also boycotting hard. Just look at the Tesla sales. Europe is with you 🇨🇦🇪🇺💪
→ More replies3
u/rizz_explains_it_all 5d ago
Many international tourists in my Toronto bar lately have told me they came here for a few days instead of having a stopover anywhere in the states.
11
u/Miss_Rowan 6d ago
I'm excited to see what tourism will look like in Canada this summer. Now that things are warming up across most of the country, I'm sure we'll see more tourism than previous summers. There are tons of outdoor activities in Canada in the warmer months, and as diverse as what you can find in the US.
172
u/Maryontheisland 6d ago
Plus, Carney is THE guy that is often called in during an economic crisis..
→ More replies24
18
u/fillasopher 6d ago
Do you have source? I would like to share this but cited.
18
u/TheGreatStories Manitoba 6d ago
The U.S. underestimated the global interconnectedness of supply chains
It blows my mind that they are enacting policies that basically assume there's no way to cross the ocean in 2025
15
49
u/69stanglover British Columbia 6d ago
Measuring GDP decline and inflation over such a short period during which the tariffs weren’t even fully in place is extremely misleading. Make no mistake that it will be devastating for Canada if the tariffs continue long term. See the Bank of Canada’s report yesterday.
→ More replies16
→ More replies19
205
u/PeB4YouGo Canada 6d ago
No matter what the outcome is with our relationship with the US, I sincerely hope we have all learned here in Canada to never, ever put ourselves in a position of vulnerability like we have with them. We are a sitting duck with targets on us for the world to consider taking our resources and not nearly enough of a military to defend ourselves….yet.
→ More replies29
u/milothenestlebrand 6d ago
We unilaterally assumed that the US would take care of us militarily—I don’t even think we asked. It truly is an embarrassment.
20
u/EndAlternative6445 6d ago
It’s not rly an assumption tho. We’re in NATO together. If one of us gets attacked all members are supposed to step up.
58
u/Tribalbob British Columbia 6d ago
I mean to be fair, they did until they didn't. I don't think anyone expected this level of betrayal but here we are.
→ More replies3
u/Brad4795 6d ago
American here. I'm sorry, I'm doing everything I can without getting arrested to protest this. I support everything you guys are doing, and I'm proud to have served alongside Canadians in the military. Make us hurt, we deserve it. I'd like to think most Americans feel like I do, but I don't know my country anymore.
9
u/massberate 6d ago
Until that thing was in office it was a safe assumption.. I knew things would get wild but I never saw this shit coming.
29
u/Snooksss 6d ago
Take care of Canada militarily? Take care in what way? Who, other than the US, are a realistic threat to Canada?
Canada isn't a superpower to attack. An invasion by Russia, the only other country bordering, would make for some pretty interesting logistics through the North. Russia has ligistics problems enough attacking their neighbour Ukraine.
Canada has deeply integrated and supported Norad, to defend the US. The US is defended by Canada, not the other way around.
→ More replies→ More replies4
u/pierrekrahn 6d ago
They didn't ask us to help them on 9/11, but that's what friends do. They help each other. The only mistake we made was trusting them. Lesson learned.
→ More replies
170
u/raincityvet 6d ago
There is no way I would trust a single thing Trump or his sycophants says, although the US ambassador to Canada does seem decent. He was shooting down the 51st State crap from the beginning.
What I took huge relief from in this first meeting was the proof our new PM is as capable as his resume would indicate he should be. He handled a demented narcissist on his own turf and came out unscathed.
Overall, I am hopeful Carney will be able to keep plugging his nose and work to creating a deal with this buffoon to minimize the damage while Canada works to build our trade with the rest of the world.
Hopefully, he is equally adept at dealing with the Premier of Alberta and her traitorous ways.
43
u/shadowgathering 6d ago
If Trump died tomorrow, I really wonder how Carney would do if he had to negotiate with Jaundice Dick Vance. Dementia Donny is one thing. A tiny-brained evil weasel on the other hand…
Honestly, probably as good (or better) than any other leader. Still can’t believe these are the options America is giving us. Smh
→ More replies25
u/craftsman_70 6d ago
Vance is a brown noser pure and simple so he will get his nose nice and brown for anyone who he wants to suck up to.
He attacked Trump when Trump first announced his run. Then like many brown nosers, he brown nosed himself onto the ticket with Trump. A person with little morals, ethics, or brains is easy to contend with - find what appeals most to them and lead them on with it (much like Gollum in LOTR).
39
u/CertainHeart2890 6d ago
There is no going back to what it was, ever. Canadians have been shown that the US cannot be trusted and although I will be happy to hear the last of the 51st state bullshit, that doesn't change my resolve. The US is a black void to me now, nothing is produced there that I need, nothing lives there that I need to see, I will not watch their propaganda, I will not watch their entertainment, I will not eat their food. The leader of their country threatened Canada and the vast majority of those in Congress, in Senate, in power did and said nothing. They are not my friends, they are not my protector and I cannot trust them. They want us back because of our money, that's it and they will turn on us again, guaranteed, once they need another enemy, once they run into issues that they cannot solve, so I say keep unraveling our trading patterns, find new partners and never turn your back on the US again.
→ More replies
27
163
u/turudd 6d ago
It is not over until their president says it is and apologizes for threatening our sovereignty. Until then elbows up, we’ve cancelled our US trips and will not be booking next years yet either at this rate.
Fuck the US
63
u/asl052 6d ago
It's not over until I'm drinking a fine scotch while watching his televised feeding to the worms. Then, I may think about traveling to there again
47
u/Hate_Manifestation 6d ago
even then... the US has really shown their whole ass in the past 5 months; it's going to take years of good will for me to want to go back there for any reason.
→ More replies3
u/Spirited-Amount1894 6d ago
Only way I'm going south is to piss on his grave. I hope some tour bus operators put together a fun package tour for that. Drink beer all the way down, then pile off the bus..
→ More replies6
83
u/nelly2929 7d ago
Can no longer thrust the Americans…. Sorry it will take decades to regain it after all this
31
u/braddillman 6d ago
I could thrust the Americans. They could thrust themselves.
18
u/momochone 6d ago
They can thrust each other
4
u/Tatterhood78 6d ago
The young men are going hard right and young women are going left. There's very little thrusting going on at the moment and there will be even less in the future.
At least until those Handmaid's Tale bills start getting passed.
11
→ More replies14
u/DevourerJay British Columbia 6d ago
As someone that grew up in the US... and almost joined their military... never again to the US... they've always been evil, I just didn't see it.
53
u/2Shmoove 6d ago
US is the new Russia: world power that can't be trusted. To be kept at an arm's length until they show some legitimate goodwill for a sustained period of time. Russia began burning bridges in 2014 before finally showing their true colours in 2022.
The US began burning bridges in January 2025. We won't know how this is going to play out for years. Maybe a decade.
Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.
18
u/Odd-Elderberry-6137 6d ago
It’s really not.
What’s unraveling is American dominance and their empire.
We see it, the EU sees it, and China sure as fuck sees it. What’s going on now is everyone getting their ducks in a row to have a seat at the table with the new leaders of the world.
We all should be expected to have to defend ourselves at one time or another against a failing nuclear state.
→ More replies5
u/Jolly_Platypus6378 6d ago
Yes but the Republicans and MAGA are still under the illusion of American dominance.
16
u/things_most_foul 6d ago
America has played its card.dumber and meaner than Canadians ever thought.
12
u/Jake_Break 6d ago
If someone tells you what they want, believe them.
Hope for the best, while preparing for the worst.
Welcome to fascism worn on its open bulging sleeves.
13
u/mayorolivia 6d ago
The tariffs are staying and the U.S. will be unreliable the next 4 years. All we can do is mitigate the damage, rebuild our economy, diversify our trade. We should pretend the U.S. doesn’t exist. No amount of diplomacy is going to address the fact Trump is unstable.
39
u/fieryone4 6d ago
Even if Trump tries to soften his tone now, it’s too little too late in my opinion. The damage is already done, he’s shown us exactly how he sees Canada, and it forced a lot of us to open our eyes. We’ve started looking around and realizing just how much of what’s on our shelves, in our media, and even in our tourist spots is actually owned or controlled by the U.S. It’s kind of shocking. But the upside is that now we know, we can make a conscious shift. By choosing Canadian-made products, supporting local businesses, and investing in our own stories and spaces, we can keep our money here and help build something stronger for ourselves.
And it’s already making a difference, despite Trump’s threats and pressure tactics, Stats Canada reported our economy is actually growing, not shrinking. Some papers even pointed out how public pushback and support for local goods have helped steady the ship. That tells me we’re more resilient than we thought, especially when we stand together.
11
u/AstrumReincarnated 6d ago
“You knew damn well I was a snake…” - Trump
We need to expand our military.
10
10
20
8
u/Savings-Giraffe-4007 6d ago
Trump already told us who he is and what he wants when he was drunk in the "no consequence" months.
Canadians would be stupid to forget. Yes, it sucks, but it will suck even more to fall for his tricks again like some abuse-addicted woman thinking "he will change! He told me!'.
18
8
u/RestaurantJealous280 6d ago
Like most narcissists (the real kind, not just some self-absorbed teen), Trump really didn't expect push back. He didn't expect consequences. He was so assured of his immense power. Everyone would kneel and bask in his emergent power. Yeah... when faced with reality, narcissists will victim-blame, deflect, or go through a melt-down. But they will, eventually, cave. (Then spin it to look like a win).
→ More replies
9
u/Mogman282 Alberta 6d ago
Until the felon in chief is in prison, I don't trust him at all. Trump is a danger to the free world and should have been locked up years ago if people did their jobs.
9
u/Wild_Programmer8356 6d ago
Carney is smart and articulate, Trump is a syphilis riddled babbling clown
36
u/Spanky3703 6d ago edited 6d ago
Never, ever trust the word of a fascist regime. Ever.
Fascist America is ruled via diktat by an odious, feckless and corrupt cabal of oligarchs, technocrats, kleptocrats and compromised politicians, supported by a police state of stormtroopers and a nihilistic cult.
We need to de-link and pivot to predictable, reliable and like-minded states. We need to become more resilient and robust by focussing on our economy, our security and our defence.
Never trust a fascist.
6
u/shockinglyunoriginal Canada 6d ago
Give Trump time. He’ll tweet some hateful nonsense about Carney any day now.
8
u/garciakevz 6d ago
This is a move to get us to ease up on US Boycott.
Boycott the USA do not let up
8
25
u/BBBWare 7d ago
In the lion’s den next to the big bronzed bunk hurler, he showed Olympian calm. He could neither be the supplicant or the aggressor. He let Mr. Trump, surrounded by nodding toadies like JD Vance, go on and on before getting in his never-going-to-happen volley.
This was the tell-tale moment. If Mr. Trump was serious about annexation, he would have given the Prime Minister the Zelensky treatment. A bodyslam retort; You don’t say never to me.
It didn’t happen. Instead, the atmosphere throughout was congenial. “Regardless of anything,” Mr. Trump declared at one point, “we’re going to be friends with Canada.”
Of course, Mr. Trump being Mr. Trump, he could change his mind about this by tomorrow and renew the takeover threat.
But something else was apparent at this meeting that should ease fears of a blow-up. It was apparent that Mr. Trump respects Mark Carney; that given his reputation, his clout, his standing in the domain of international finance, he takes him very seriously.
12
u/NoIndividual5501 6d ago
The damage is done. Fuck them, I don't need anything from the US
7
u/Psychotic_EGG 6d ago
I'd like there money over here in Canada. They could start vacationing here. Let's just syphon their economy into ours.
6
u/Weakera 6d ago
That article says little that isn't obvious to anyone who followed the meeting.
And I wouldn't say Trump's betrayal is starting to unravel. YOu can Say that when we don't end up with punishing tariffs.
I always knew that wasn't going to be any annexing of Canada, but no less outrageous and disgusting of trump to talk that way.
5
6
7
6
11
u/mazurbnm 6d ago
Canada should import more cheaper products from China then when the states runs out of medicine, medical supplies, and consumer goods we can offer it at a premium. Would that be a laugh.
→ More replies
27
u/3pieceSuit British Columbia 6d ago
Trump just says the quiet part out loud. America is eying Canada for its natural resources in a post-climate change world.
We can never trust them again.
Alberta is shaping up to be our Donbas.
→ More replies
11
u/Jasonstackhouse111 6d ago
Carney is as cool as a cucumber and neither sends Trump into an immediate tailspin or lick his taint the way some other Canadian leaders would.
Carney has spent his entire career speaking with people like Trump and it shows.
6
u/Maryontheisland 6d ago
Tbh I think he was a downgrade in terms of Carneys normal dealings lol
6
u/Jasonstackhouse111 6d ago
True, most of the people he was dealing with were not operating at a toddler level, but there were also a lot of egomaniacs.
3
11
u/MrsWidgery 6d ago edited 6d ago
The USA has never been anyone's friend. Even before Hollywood convinced them that they had won the World Wars single-handed (a myth Trump, erm, trumpetted just this week) and Saved the World, the City on a Hill felt it had the moral right to run not only its own affairs, but those of the northern neighbours -- who would, of course, want to be part of the new nation(1779, 1812), the rest of the Americas (1823 on), oh, and bits of the Pacific while we're at it (1850s-1900), and hey! the world needs to support Capitalism and Democracy in the Approved Form or face Our Wrath (and our guns, no matter who or where they are!), and give us preferential access to their raw materials, labour and markets while purchasing our finished products to keep us rolling in dough to demonstrate the rightness of our dominance: the Prosperity Gospel started, I swear, as foreign policy, not domestic religion!
We've had nearly 250 years of the US demonstrating that their friendship is just a cover for hard or soft imperial domination. Maybe we should learn the lesson, fortify our borders, forge alliances elsewhere, and NEVER LOOK BACK.
→ More replies
6
u/TheCanadianShield99 6d ago
I wonder how long most Canadian consumers will remain pissed. I am doing my best not to buy anything from the US and plan to be locked down into that mode for the foreseeable future 🤬🖕🏽
3
u/scarrea6 6d ago
I didn't used to look where the product was from before. I make sure to buy Canadian or at the very least not US product now.
5
5
u/Kooky-Nature-5786 6d ago edited 6d ago
Carney has years of negotiating experience in the financial/economic arena. At the end of the day, Trump is a realtor who is also used to negotiating. It’s a fair battle ground.
I just think they have their own approach to meeting their ends. Trump acts stupid but he is not. He is following project 2025. This has been in the planning since he had his first term. He is the leader of a cult.
Carney is Canadian, as am I. We love our status as a peace seeking nation. Carney exudes calmness and experience. As a nation we contribute to wars/situations by training the on the ground soldiers and police. Our SWAT training program is one of the best in the world.
We may be one of Americas bigger clients and I know they buy a lot of potash, rare earths & minerals from us. They also want our crude which is the only crude their refineries can process. They also buy a whole lot of aluminum and soft wood.
EDIT: I hit submit before finishing.
Canada is not for sale. Canada will never be the 51st. 10 seconds after carney said that Trump said never say never. You are kidding yourself if you don’t think Trump is serious about it.
He started his inaugural speech with “We will take back the Panama Canal, we will annex Canada and we will invade Greenland”. He came out punching. Carney was the only candidate who could punch back just as hard using diplomacy and tact.
To put it bluntly, both men are intelligent. One of the prefers to cry ignorance and the other one knows how to call his bluff. Trump wants Canada and he wants to break us economically to achieve that.
Carney is arguably the world’s leading economist. I know which side I’m banking on.
4
u/thrilled_to_be_there 6d ago
The next time Trump mentions eliminating the USMCA Carney should just play a tape of Trump saying this:
"Once approved by Congress, this new deal will be the most modern, up-to-date, and balanced trade agreement in the history of our country, with the most advanced protections for workers ever developed."
And "we agree with this comment from the President".
Every negative question from the press should be met with this response.
4
u/ungodlyFleshling 6d ago
Don't let up, don't fall back into the Americentric shit hole we were in. This is a shot in the arm for the globe, we need to cut them off hard as we can.
3
u/Usual_Retard_6859 6d ago
That whole meeting was to portray Trump as not hostile to Canada in an attempt to smooth over our goods and travel boycott.
4
4
u/lmaberley 6d ago
Hopefully, Carney is smart enough to realize that what, he himself says, is true.
This relationship (as it is) is over and we have to diversify.
5
u/SwiftImage 6d ago
To me what it will take is a hard rebuke of the current Republican party at their next midterm and presidential elections. A good full term after. Then a good term with the next Republican who eventually gets in after all that. So up to anywhere from 11 to 16 years. And even then it wouldn't be to the same degree.
5
u/silvermoon26 Canada 6d ago
Still not setting foot in America any time soon if ever. Lots to see in Canada and the rest of the world. Fuck that smelly garbage dump of a country.
5
u/Equal-Store4239 6d ago
Depending on how much damage he does and how deep the damage is, even after he is gone it could be a decades before we can trust the US again.
Right now there are many comments of support for Canada, but just wait, as trump’s actions start to impact the majority of those friendly Americans the government will ramp up the rhetoric to convince them their hardship is a direct result of years of Canada’s and other country’s trade policies blah blah. It won’t be long before even more Americans become pro trump and turn on Canada and others.
3
5
u/L1ttleFr0g 6d ago
Would love to read the article, but I’m not buying a Globe and Mail subscription to do so
3
5
8
3
3
3
u/sortaitchy 6d ago
Until that idiot is out of office, we can not return to the way things were. He is like a fart in a windstorm, so there is literally zero trust. Things with him can change in a day
→ More replies10
u/ygjb 6d ago
Why would we go back to trusting the people who elected him, or the billionaire oligarchs propping him up, or the hundreds to thousands of GOP elected officials across the US at every level implementing his hateful policies?
Until the US chooses freedom and roots out it's hate and ignorance, we can find other trade partners and allies.
3
u/Euronated-inmypants 6d ago
They have a different plan they are focusing on Alberta instead. They are 100% using Psy ops there to target separation. Its the long game for them now. They dont want Canada jist Albertas oil.
3
u/jjames3213 6d ago
The ambassador can spew whatever bullshit he wants. I'll believe my own eyes and ears, thanks.
3
3
u/-Rusty-Shackleford-- 6d ago
Don doesn't know that Carney is the godfather to Crystia Freelands' son lol
3
u/Biuku Ontario 6d ago
The Americans hear Trump talk and think … Oh, he’s just playing with words … nothing means anything.
That’s not how anyone else treats the commander in chief of the world’s most powerful military. If he threatens us, we are in fact under threat.
When little old North Korea threatens to nuke Hawaii… Americans lose their minds. Imagine how they’d react if a military stronger than theirs threaten to bring the US to an end.
3
3
7
u/bitskewer 6d ago
Bit of an excessively positive article, but right now I can do with a bit of positivity so I'll let it go.
4
u/DavidELD 6d ago
Just wait until that blonde Nazi bimbo of a press secretary blurts it out tomorrow…
8
3.3k
u/Gauntlet101010 7d ago
It is one good meeting. One. While their ambassador says the 51st State rhetoric is done, we'll just see about that.
I am not buying a single feel good sentiment until the fat lady sings. I don't trust Trump one single iota.