Weekly Wisdom | Canadian Conundrum
Carney's Canadian Catastrophe
Part of President Trump’s unstated task in reshaping the world order has been to clarify which countries and their leaders are actual allies to the U.S. In asserting America First realism, many so-called allies - like the globalists in the EU - are showing that they aren’t actually reliable allies, if at all. Add Canada under Prime Minister Carney to this list. Why? And what does this mean for U.S.-Canada relations?
Let’s examine the facts:
Recently, at the WEF (World Economic Forum), Financial Times journalist Gideon Rachman correctly noted during his interview with Prime Minister Carney that he “would be the epitome of a globalist.” A Harvard- and Oxford-educated economist, Prime Minister Carney worked at Goldman Sachs in both London and New York and later served as Governor of the Bank of England from 2013 to 2020. His globalist credentials are impeccable, indicating his values are diametrically opposed to those of the MAGA movement under President Trump.
A few weeks ago, Prime Minister Carney traveled to China and met with the dictator Xi Jinping. The purpose of his trip was to forge a new “strategic partnership” with China focused on agriculture, energy, and trade. Considering President Trump’s embrace of the Monroe Doctrine, Prime Minister Carney’s trip was both provocative and foolish.
At the WEF, Prime Minister Carney gave a lengthy speech discussing Canada’s place in the new international order. Hinting at the U.S. fracture with Canada, Prime Minister Carney stated, “This bargain no longer works. Let me be direct. We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition.” Rather than engaging with the U.S., Prime Minister Carney is doubling down on his globalist ideals.
Prime Minister Carney’s actions could mean the end of the USMCA (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement), as it is up for annual review this July. President Trump could withdraw the United States from the trade agreement and negotiate bilateral trade agreements instead. If that happens, President Trump would likely impose harsher terms under a new deal to punish Canada for their hostility. And the United States has enormous economic and military leverage over Canada.
Beyond trade, Canada stands to gain from the implementation of the Golden Dome, which is President Trump’s hemispheric missile defense system (which is in development). But Prime Minister Carney’s defiance of President Trump and his embrace of the dictator Xi Jinping show Canada, under his leadership, is no friend of the U.S. If I were advising President Trump, I would punish Prime Minister Carney and the Canadian government for even considering forging closer ties to our greatest adversary. On this point, there can be no debate.
