The US Tariffs on steel and the cancelling of US IRA funding for various projects makes it the perfect time for Ottawa to push hard for a high spreed rail connection to Montreal. Thousands of climate jobs would be created, emissions would be lowered, and drivers would be removed improving traffic. There's nothing but upside.
More seriously, the Mayors of Ottawa and Gatineau commented on Interprovincial trade barriers. We are a micro lab for the absurdity of these policies. I would encourage both mayors to take the lead in documenting experiences with trade barriers and aggressively pressure Ontario and Quebec to move beyond platitudes of good intentions to make the necessary changes. Labour Mobility, movement of booze and health care mobility are good places to start.
I am thinking about major, extended road work outside access to the American Embassy with constant Jack Hammers. Access could be a pull out a half a block away. I would do the same thing at the Ambassadors Residence with emergency all night long, but only when the Ambassador in town. After all we respect the Ambassadors neighbours.
Copied from a FB post: “ Here’s a history lesson for you :
In 1923 Adolf Hitler incited an insurrection against the German government. He was tried, given a slap on the wrist, and became a convicted felon. Despite being treated charitably by the judge, Hitler claimed the trial was political persecution and successfully portrayed himself as a victim of the “corrupt" Social Democrats.
Hitler cleverly positioned himself as the voice of the "common man," railing against the "elites," cultural "degeneracy," and the establishment, who he all labeled as "Marxists." He claimed the education system was indoctrinating children to hate Germany, and promised to return Germany to greatness.
To solidify his base, Hitler masterfully scapegoated minorities for the nation's problems, exploiting societal divisions with an "us vs. them" narrative. Many Germans took the bait. Hitler's Nazi Party continued to gain traction, until he became Chancellor in 1933.
Hitler appointed German oligarchs as his economic advisors. He proceeded to privatize government run utilities, solidifying support of the economic elite.
With the working class divided along cultural and ethnic lines, the Nazis shut down workers unions and abolished strikes.
Progressives and trade unionists were imprisoned and sent to concentration camps. Corporate profits skyrocketed while working class Germans lived paycheck to paycheck.
Hitler, who became a billionaire while in office, knew he and his clan of oligarchs could get away with the scam if they constantly had an "enemy within" to blame while the corporatocracy robbed the country blind.
An easy target was one of the smallest minorities. Hitler removed birthright citizenship rights of Jews and started rounding them up for mass deportations for being "illegally" in the country.
The German press under Nazi rule highlighted instances of violence by Jews to convince the public that Jewish immigrants were a danger to the "real Germans."
Hitler wasted no time dismantling democratic institutions. Loyalty wasn't just encouraged; it was demanded. Opponents were silenced. Media that dared to questioned[sic] him were vilified as "the enemy" and "Marxists."
Hitler's Propaganda Minister, Joseph Goebbels, bragged about how the Nazis were able to intimidate the media into giving them favorable coverage, and didn't need to give direct orders.
The Nazi regime and its followers collected all books they saw as promoting "degeneracy" or what would be considered "woke" today, and burned them in large bonfires. They also burned books that promoted class consciousness.
Berlin had a thriving LGBTQ community in the 1920s, and even had the first transgender clinic. The Nazis burned it to the ground. LGBTQ people were sent to concentration camps and forced to wear triangle badges. Many were killed in the Holocaust.
The Nazis also saw manhood as under threat by independent women who didn't rely on men. In 1934, Hitler proclaimed, “A women’s world is her her husband, her family, her children, her house." Laws that had protected women's rights were repealed and new laws were introduced to restrict women to the home and in their roles as wives and mothers.
Reproductive rights were severely rolled back, and doctors who performed abortions could face the death penalty.
Despite all of this, the German people didn't have a similar historical parallel to look upon as a warning.
Most Germans never acted like the sky was falling.
Most just went along with their lives as usual, until many of their lives were snuffed out. By the time Hitler's reign was forced to an end by the Allied Powers, 11 million people were murdered in the Holocaust, and 70-85 million were killed in WW2.”
Neil, I understand that there is an emotional imperative to stand up to bullies. But adding in retaliatory tariffs is more costly to Canadians than Americans, at least in the economic short run (about 1-1.5 years). Rather than doing that, why not support Canadian businesses through the period of their lost sales to the USA and offer tax breaks to find new export markets. I don't agree with your suggestion to call out Shopify. The owner is just saying what a lot of thinking Canadians are thinking.
I don't think it's an emotional response. It's game theory. The only way Trump is going to back down is if he hears from the people who put him in power that his tariffs are hurting them. Appeasement, as Tobi L suggests, would be a terrible strategy in this situation.
The US Tariffs on steel and the cancelling of US IRA funding for various projects makes it the perfect time for Ottawa to push hard for a high spreed rail connection to Montreal. Thousands of climate jobs would be created, emissions would be lowered, and drivers would be removed improving traffic. There's nothing but upside.
I agree with your suggestion about creating a directory of local alternatives to U.S. products...so much so that I've written one! https://ottawaroadtrips.com/2025/02/03/buy-local-in-ottawa-eastern-ontario-and-the-outaouais/
thanks, Laura!
More seriously, the Mayors of Ottawa and Gatineau commented on Interprovincial trade barriers. We are a micro lab for the absurdity of these policies. I would encourage both mayors to take the lead in documenting experiences with trade barriers and aggressively pressure Ontario and Quebec to move beyond platitudes of good intentions to make the necessary changes. Labour Mobility, movement of booze and health care mobility are good places to start.
I am thinking about major, extended road work outside access to the American Embassy with constant Jack Hammers. Access could be a pull out a half a block away. I would do the same thing at the Ambassadors Residence with emergency all night long, but only when the Ambassador in town. After all we respect the Ambassadors neighbours.
Great advice for any Canadian municipal government! What about it Mayor Sutcliffe? Are you going to be there for Ottawa? We’re watching and listening.
Copied from a FB post: “ Here’s a history lesson for you :
In 1923 Adolf Hitler incited an insurrection against the German government. He was tried, given a slap on the wrist, and became a convicted felon. Despite being treated charitably by the judge, Hitler claimed the trial was political persecution and successfully portrayed himself as a victim of the “corrupt" Social Democrats.
Hitler cleverly positioned himself as the voice of the "common man," railing against the "elites," cultural "degeneracy," and the establishment, who he all labeled as "Marxists." He claimed the education system was indoctrinating children to hate Germany, and promised to return Germany to greatness.
To solidify his base, Hitler masterfully scapegoated minorities for the nation's problems, exploiting societal divisions with an "us vs. them" narrative. Many Germans took the bait. Hitler's Nazi Party continued to gain traction, until he became Chancellor in 1933.
Hitler appointed German oligarchs as his economic advisors. He proceeded to privatize government run utilities, solidifying support of the economic elite.
With the working class divided along cultural and ethnic lines, the Nazis shut down workers unions and abolished strikes.
Progressives and trade unionists were imprisoned and sent to concentration camps. Corporate profits skyrocketed while working class Germans lived paycheck to paycheck.
Hitler, who became a billionaire while in office, knew he and his clan of oligarchs could get away with the scam if they constantly had an "enemy within" to blame while the corporatocracy robbed the country blind.
An easy target was one of the smallest minorities. Hitler removed birthright citizenship rights of Jews and started rounding them up for mass deportations for being "illegally" in the country.
The German press under Nazi rule highlighted instances of violence by Jews to convince the public that Jewish immigrants were a danger to the "real Germans."
Hitler wasted no time dismantling democratic institutions. Loyalty wasn't just encouraged; it was demanded. Opponents were silenced. Media that dared to questioned[sic] him were vilified as "the enemy" and "Marxists."
Hitler's Propaganda Minister, Joseph Goebbels, bragged about how the Nazis were able to intimidate the media into giving them favorable coverage, and didn't need to give direct orders.
The Nazi regime and its followers collected all books they saw as promoting "degeneracy" or what would be considered "woke" today, and burned them in large bonfires. They also burned books that promoted class consciousness.
Berlin had a thriving LGBTQ community in the 1920s, and even had the first transgender clinic. The Nazis burned it to the ground. LGBTQ people were sent to concentration camps and forced to wear triangle badges. Many were killed in the Holocaust.
The Nazis also saw manhood as under threat by independent women who didn't rely on men. In 1934, Hitler proclaimed, “A women’s world is her her husband, her family, her children, her house." Laws that had protected women's rights were repealed and new laws were introduced to restrict women to the home and in their roles as wives and mothers.
Reproductive rights were severely rolled back, and doctors who performed abortions could face the death penalty.
Despite all of this, the German people didn't have a similar historical parallel to look upon as a warning.
Most Germans never acted like the sky was falling.
Most just went along with their lives as usual, until many of their lives were snuffed out. By the time Hitler's reign was forced to an end by the Allied Powers, 11 million people were murdered in the Holocaust, and 70-85 million were killed in WW2.”
Neil, I understand that there is an emotional imperative to stand up to bullies. But adding in retaliatory tariffs is more costly to Canadians than Americans, at least in the economic short run (about 1-1.5 years). Rather than doing that, why not support Canadian businesses through the period of their lost sales to the USA and offer tax breaks to find new export markets. I don't agree with your suggestion to call out Shopify. The owner is just saying what a lot of thinking Canadians are thinking.
I don't think it's an emotional response. It's game theory. The only way Trump is going to back down is if he hears from the people who put him in power that his tariffs are hurting them. Appeasement, as Tobi L suggests, would be a terrible strategy in this situation.
That's a good point. Game theory does suggest the imperative of retaliation, even if it feels like shooting oneself in the foot.