In the March 20th edition of the Gazette, Rob Pritchard suggests that Canada under Carney is not putting forward a united front against America or Trump.
I disagree.
Mr. Pritchard argues that the Liberals have not taken into account that the consumer pays the price for tariffs. However, Mr. Pritchard fails to acknowledge Canada's diverse agri-food and manufacturing industry (including wood, steel, plastics, and more) and diverse range of non-American products available. We do not need to buy American.
In the federal government's "List of products from the United States subject to 25 per cent tariffs," the reader will note that neither O&G products, nor automobiles, are on this list. Why has Trump tariffed the Canadian O&G and automotive industries, but Trudeau/Carney have not done so in retaliation?
Because this list developed by the Liberals is smart. Plenty that Canada can source domestically or from elsewhere (food, natural resources, household products). but definitely goods that will strongly impact the U.S. export economy. However, on the other hand, they omitted some things which Canadians can't avoid purchasing (O&G, cars and trucks) so as to avoid hurting Canadians' wallets as much as possible (unlike what Trump did to Americans when he tariffed everything).
Of course, purchasing some American goods is inevitable (for the life of me, I can't find non-American spinach in the grocery store). But exporting to Canada will cost Americans, and we are their best customer. They can't easily replace us, and we have already done a great job of replacing many American products on our shopping lists.
American industries are reeling, with a few Republicans already calling for the Trump administration to backpedal. This shows just how much Trump and his supporters underestimated Canada's ability to stand together, strong.
Here in St. Albert, we must buy local, buy Canadian, and buy non-American as much as possible (I know, it's not always possible). Not sure? Go to r/BuyCanadian. This is the united front that many Canadians and Albertans want, but many also refuse to attribute it to the Liberals' prudent response to Trump.
I think Trudeau and Carney did a great job mostly tariffing goods that we can already buy here in Canada, and standing up to Trump in person and in the media.
Meanwhile, I haven't heard a peep from our MP, Michael Cooper, about how he plans to help his St. Albert-Sturgeon River constituents through this economic crisis. He is a man with no solutions, just complaints. Then there's our Premier, cozying up to neo-fascists like Jordan Peterson, Tucker Carlson, and Ben Shapiro, openly raving about how great Poilievre will work with Donald Trump. Poilievre hasn't even called her out for it.
Canada under Poilievre will only be united in calling Poilievre the Governor of the 51st State. Even his and Trump's slogans sing the same tune.
Nick Cooley, St. Albert
