Carney Charts A New Path For Canada And The Rest Of The World

 

On January 20th, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Canada's Prime Minister, Mark Carney, gave a speech of the ages denouncing American hegemony and offering a roadmap to NATO allies of how they can stand together against the bully in the schoolyard. It was a masterful performance that quoted Thucydides and Vaclav Havel, and called out the hypocrisy of the so-called rules-based international order. He stressed that Canada and its allies need to acknowledge the old world order is gone, that nostalgia is not a strategy, and we must move forward with new alliances and value-based realism. To do otherwise is to put ourselves on the menu.

Only a few days earlier Carney was able to announce an engineered reset between Canada and China that rolled back tariffs on Canadian farm goods and lobsters in exchange for rolled back tariffs on Chinese EVs. Whether Trump liked it or not wasn't of any concern to Canada, in spite of putting up the tariffs in the first place because of  U.S. pressure, it was time to chart our own course. This was great news for the beleaguered prairie provinces and Ontario in spite of a short sighted and petulant Rob Ford.  The existing Canadian auto industry is an over subsidized and dying business that needs Chinese investment if it's going to survive.

At any rate Ontario will soon be busy making jeeps, trucks and other military vehicles instead of cars. And it's virtually assured now that we won't be buying any more F-35 jet fighters from the U.S. and instead will be partnering with Saab to buy and build their Gripens. The F-35 never made any sense in the first place and even less now that the Americans can't be trusted. The only question now is whether Germany or South Korea will get the submarine order.

In the meantime the U.S. (actually President Trump) threatened to take over Greenland, part of Danish territory and a fellow NATO member and to impose tariffs on any country that disagreed. It was a good opportunity for a coalition of European countries and Canada to demonstrate they are prepared to stand up to America and not only put boots on the ground but also threaten economic retaliation. Ultimately Trump decided to back down. 

But while Trump was once again exposed for the blowhard clown and blackmailer that he really is (in addition to being a gangster, crook, and rapist) it reinforced the need for Canada to build military bases in the north. We have virtually no military presence north of the 60th parallel, never mind the Arctic Circle, but cities like Inuvik, Iqualuit, and Resolute would be ideal locations, as well as Churchill, to set up airforce and navy bases. And we need to get started ASAP.

It's going to take some time to shift our trading dependance on the U.S. but there are other markets for our goods and services. While China is an obvious choice there are also risks in getting too integrated with yet another hegemon. Closer ties with Europe would be the first choice but there is also Japan, South Korea and the Southeast Asian countries that could use our products. Again, speed is of the essence and Carney has been busy with almost non-stop globe-trotting, signing trade agreements, and lining up investors.

Canada has never had a Prime Minister this smart or well connected and he is demonstrating to the country and the rest of the world what real statesmanship looks like. Clear headed, calm, and always diplomatic, he has a plan for getting things done and won't be sidetracked by anyone. Thanks to Mark Carney, Canadians have never felt prouder or looked better on the world stage. Elbows up everyone.