“I think this is the moment when the country needs to pull together as a whole. There is no shortage of people who want to take it away from us. We have to fight for this country every day and so that message to the Prime Minister is look, British Columbia is all in on Canada.” — David Eby, Premier of British Columbia.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if every province and every territory and every First Nation, not only stood for that but actually did something about it?
Premier Eby is right. Under current circumstances, with a delusional, unstable, threatening and totally unpredictable President of the United States on our doorstep, Canadians have to fight for this country every single day.
Last week in my Listen Up! commentary, I applauded Prime Minister Mark Carney’s efforts to diversify our economy, seek new trading partners, and lessen our dependence on the United States. I believe he is right to seek closer trading alliances with Europe, Mexico, India, and yes, China, as he is currently doing.
And I think that his speech in New York this week was brilliant, especially his plug that Canada can make the United States great again. 😊
But I also questioned the Liberal government’s strategy of not poking the bear when dealing with Trump’s rhetoric and attacks on Canada’s economy and independence, in hopes of securing a better trade deal with the United States.
I stand by that. I believe it is wrong, will ultimately be ineffective, and leaves the impression that Canada is dealing with the United States out of weakness and fright rather than strength and determination. It is a strategy that might have worked in normal times, but dealing with Donald Trump is anything but normal.
I have two major concerns. The first is that Donald Trump is coming closer to having his back against the wall, and when that happens, he will lash out at the first thing that is close at hand in an attempt to change the narrative.
Second, I believe that Canada’s leadership, federally and provincially, is relying more on hope than on reality, is not recognizing the imminency of Trump’s threats, and is not getting its act together nationally to deal with them effectively if and when that time comes. There is not sufficient recognition and belief that Donald Trump’s agenda includes dividing and conquering Canada.
Last week was not a good one for Donald Trump. A federal court has intervened in his intent to establish a slush fund with $1.776 billion of taxpayers’ money to aid and support invaders of the United States Congress on January 6, 2024. Then another court told him he couldn’t rename the Kennedy Centre to honour himself.
On top of that, he is struggling mightily to demonstrate that he has won the war with Iran when he clearly did not meet his initial objective of regime change, underestimated Iran’s ability to fight back, and has weakened America’s military influence in the Middle East. Trump’s efforts last week to sign a peace deal with Iran failed again, and the report that he is offering billions of investment dollars to Iran is not going over well with Americans.
The question then is whether Donald Trump is getting close to one of his irrational, spontaneous temper tantrums, and, if so, whether Canada could increasingly become a rhetorical, economic, or political target at a time when Trump feels politically cornered at home?
The reality is that repeatedly, when under legal or political pressure, Donald Trump escalates external conflicts, provocative rhetoric, and threats. He frequently uses nationalism as a way to consolidate domestic support and redirect media and political attention. He prefers confrontational narratives with those he believes are not acting in the best interest of the United States and not bowing to his will, and he personalizes disputes, especially with those whose territory he covets to control.
Historically, leaders under pressure often seek external conflicts because these change the narrative at home. It moves political concern over domestic failures into tests of loyalty and nationalism. Donald Trump has proven adept at this time and time again.
So, given the current challenges facing Donald Trump, is it reasonable to expect that Canada should prepare for becoming a backlash target? The answer is yes.
Canada is particularly vulnerable because it is nearby, it is economically intertwined, it is politically easier to attack than adversaries with major military capabilities, and Canada is in itself divided, which renders it vulnerable.
Now, let’s get back to Premier Eby’s assertion that we need to fight for Canada every single day. Are we doing that effectively? I am not so sure. How can we adequately stand up to overt threats from the Trump administration to dismantle Canada one way or another, when we do not have our own house in order?
Why are we offering the United States the opportunity to exploit and promote differences between Canadians in an attempt to undermine its cohesiveness and unity?
There are credible reports that senior Trump officials have engaged with Alberta separatists both in that province and in Washington to discuss economic backing and post-separation scenarios. The Trump administration has not denied this.
Why have we allowed this to happen? It smacks of sedition. Why has the United States Ambassador to Canada, Pete Hoekstra, not been summoned by the Carney government to officially protest this unacceptable interference in Canada’s sovereignty?
The issue with Alberta separation needs to be dealt with surgically. At first blush, I was in agreement with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith to call a quick vote on whether Albertans wanted a binding referendum on separation.
However, a Muskoka native, now a very successful and tuned-in businessman in Calgary, for whom I have great respect, had me look at this differently. His belief is that only 7% of Albertans support separation. But if asked if they wanted a referendum, many Albertans who would never actually vote to leave Canada would say that they wanted the referendum simply to send a message to Ottawa about their belief that Alberta is not being treated fairly. That, my friend believes, would bring the yes vote for a referendum up to 30%, a number that would be difficult to ignore.
In my view, all of this referendum discussion in Alberta and Quebec needs to be put on hold now, so that in dealing with the United States, Canada speaks with a strong and unified voice. If that needs federal legislation, so be it.
Canada is a federation, but it is also a sovereign nation, and that must come first. Whatever it takes to make it an unchangeable reality is paramount to our independence.
Mark Carney cannot achieve a united Canada with common priorities and goals by himself. But as Prime Minister, he does have an abundance of tools at his disposal to force the issue and either forge a consensus for the priorities that are essential to our sovereignty, or enact the legislation required to make it happen. He is our Prime Minister, and that is where the buck stops.
If Canada is going to successfully stand up to the United States, we must first visibly stand up for ourselves, as a united and sovereign nation.
David Eby is right. This is the moment that Canada needs to pull together as a whole.
Hugh Mackenzie
Hugh Mackenzie has held elected office as a trustee on the Muskoka Board of Education, a Huntsville councillor, a District councillor, and mayor of Huntsville. He has also served as chairman of the District of Muskoka and as chief of staff to the former Premier of Ontario, Frank Miller.
Hugh has also served on a number of provincial, federal and local boards, including chair of the Ontario Health Disciplines Board, vice-chair of the Ontario Family Health Network, vice-chair of the Ontario Election Finance Commission, and board member of Roy Thomson Hall, the National Theatre School of Canada, and the Anglican Church of Canada. Locally, he has served as president of the Huntsville Rotary Club, chair of Huntsville District Memorial Hospital, chair of the Huntsville Hospital Foundation, president of Huntsville Festival of the Arts, and board member of Community Living Huntsville.
In business, Hugh Mackenzie has a background in radio and newspaper publishing. He was also a founding partner and CEO of Enterprise Canada, a national public affairs and strategic communications firm established in 1986.
Currently, Hugh is president of C3 Digital Media Inc., the parent company of Doppler Online, and he enjoys writing commentary for Huntsville Doppler.
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It looks pretty simple to me. Provinces talk to each other and the Federal goverment and then, after this has happened the Federal government does the talking to any other country. Provinces should not be talking to countries outside Canada. It is simply not their job.
As for separation, does anyone seriously think that the USA, with over 10 times Canada’s population. is going to pay any attention to a single Province, be it Alberta, Quebec (who has gotten away with this gambit for too long already) or any other Province? If you think the USA is going to do anything other than steal your resources (all of them) for a minimal payment you are as delusional as Trump.
It not only won’t work, it simply CANNOT work. All such a vote will do is take the first step to destroy Canada as we know it and if you think that is a “good idea” I’d suggest you look very carefully at the possible outcomes for both your and our Canadian future.
Read some history. This kind of action has never worked well anywhere on the Planet and is unlikely to work now in Canada’s (or any part of it’s) favor.
Trump is not to be trusted with anything. What he says is NOT substantive but more like the tantrums of a non-grown child who has somehow got hold of the levers that control the USA. Nothing good for Canada will flow from Trump…. NOTHING!
We need to do as the Federal government is attempting, to broaden our external agreements and trade with countries around the World, other than the USA and above all, keep ourselves “together” as one strong unit of a Country until Trump and his band of sycophants have passed into history and a more reasonable set of leaders regain control of the USA. It is impossible to make a good substantive alliance or trade deal with an administration that constantly lies and simply ignores any actual facts it does not like and that changes it’s mind on a daily basis. This is, unfortunately, the USA of today.
Excellent observations Hugh. We absolutely need to pull together and I agree with all that you wrote aside from your opinion that the P.M. should take a stronger stance against Trump’s threats.
Trump is losing support both at home and abroad. Even some of the GOP are questioning his policies. Growing concern over costly and highly publicized government projects has also added to public dissatisfaction. I’d like to see where the growing internal push-back is going before Mr. Carney ‘pokes the bear.’
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister has spent the past year strengthening Canada’s economic position through international partnerships and trade diversification. His government has pursued agreements involving potash and electric vehicles with China, LNG exports from British Columbia to Germany, and defence procurement from Sweden. Canadian aerospace manufacturing also received a boost with LOT Airlines’ purchase of 40 Airbus A220 aircraft. He’s hardly sitting on his hands.
I stand firm in believing that Mr. Carney is wise to maintain a measured and diplomatic approach with the United States. Carney’s recent remarks to the Economic Club of New York suggesting that a strong Canada contributes to a strong America reflected diplomacy rather than confrontation.
While Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre remains as annoying as a mosquito in his unhelpful criticism and negativity , Canadians may reasonably ask what positive alternatives he is proposing to advance Canada’s interests in a rapidly changing global economy. If Mr. Carney should (figuratively) slap down anyone, I think he should start with Mr. Poilievre.
Trump is falling fast. You would be hard pressed to name more than 3 or 4 of 200 countries that are enthusiastic friends of Trump’s USA. The American public is fast realizing that Trump is wrong on almost everything. He is facing a wipeout in midterm elections because Americans are increasingly upset about the rapid rise in prices due to his tariffs on products from Canada and many other countries. And they are sick of his many wasteful vanity projects.
But Carney has spent the past 14 months travelling tirelessly around the globe making Potash and EV deals with China, an LNG deal with BC and Germany, and buying military Jets from Sweden, etc. all to strengthen our bargaining position with the USA. LOT Polish airlines is buying 40 Airbus A220 airliners from Canada.
This morning’s report from the International Energy Agency says, “Global energy investment will reach $3.4 trillion in 2026, with $2.2 trillion going to grids, storage, low-emissions fuels like LNG (from BC) and hydrogen (from Newfoundland and Nova Scotia), nuclear, renewables, efficiency and electrification, while only around $1.2 trillion is set to be invested in Trump- supported fossil fuels. EVs will reach 30% of global sales this year and rise from 80 million to 510 million by 2035.
That all suggests that this is the wrong time to get too testy with the US. So, Carney’s speech to the Economic Club of New York diplomatically said, “Canada strong will make America great again”. Poilievre is constantly harassing Carney in the background, but has he offered one positive idea?
Canada is not dealing with the United States out of weakness and fright. Carney is simply waiting until after the midterms when Trump’s unilateral power will finally be stopped. And he is likely impeached. TACO Trump has already lost many court cases and his actions are being reversed. Trump’s reign of terror and the resulting high costs for Americans and the world is finally coming to a close. Trump will be a lame duck president for the rest of his term.
It is fascinating to read Eby’s comment. I will believe he is credible when he abandons his west coast tanker ban.
I will belive the other premiers are on the same page when the equalization formula is correct or eliminated. And there are many other regional sacred cows that need to be dealt with to ensure national interests and unity are enhanced
Allan holt
For years, Canadians have been told that the country is broken, divided, and in decline. What if the bigger story is that most Canadians have not lost faith in it?
The overwhelming majority of Canadians, including the overwhelming majority of Albertans, are still choosing Canada. They may disagree about policies, energy, equalization, pipelines, or the role of Ottawa, but disagreement is not the same thing as disintegration. None of this means the risks Hugh describes are not real. It simply means there is another side of the story too.
When faced with genuine challenges to our sovereignty, economy, and independence, most Canadians did not walk away from Canada. They leaned into it.
Scott Aitchison ran for the Conservative leadership in 2022 with a simple idea: there is nothing wrong with Canada that cannot be fixed by everything that is right with Canada. What strikes me now is that many Canadians seem to be rediscovering that idea. Not that everything is perfect, but that a country can acknowledge its challenges without convincing itself it is broken.
The stronger story right now is not that Canada is falling apart. It is that most Canadians still believe it is worth holding together.
YES! United we stand, divided we fall.
Thank you for your excellent commentary,
Mr. Mackenzie.
I also heard the Carney quote this week and thought it was a good one to say out loud in New York. I know Manitoba’s Wab Kinew tried to convince Danielle Smith to hold off on a referendum but she is determined to go ahead. It will be up to Albertans to hold her UCP government accountable for their actions and Canadians everywhere to go against American “might makes right” global politics.