“You can talk all you want about international niceties and everything else. But we live in a world, in the real world … that is governed by strength, that is governed by force, that is governed by power. These are the iron laws of the world that have existed since the beginning of time.”
—Stephen Miller, Deputy White House Chief of Staff
I have never before heard international law referred to as ‘international niceties,’ but I guess that fits with the intention of the United States government to completely ignore it.
It certainly fits nicely with the National Security Strategy released by the United States government a few weeks ago, now dubbed the ‘Donroe’ Doctrine. It emulates in part the Monroe Doctrine of 1823. It frankly asserts that the dominance of the Western Hemisphere belongs to the United States.
If anyone believes there is wiggle room in that, or that it can never happen, they should heed the recent four-word statement from the U.S. Department of State: “This is our Hemisphere.”
With this new National Security Strategy, Donald Trump intends to “re-assert and enforce the Monroe Doctrine to restore American preeminence in the Western Hemisphere and to protect our homeland and our access to key geographies throughout the region.”
In Donald Trump’s view, as President of the United States, he can extract whatever he wants, be it people or natural resources, and he can intervene in and control the governing process of any country within the Western Hemisphere, if he believes it will benefit the United States.
That was made pretty clear when the United States government put boots on the ground recently in Venezuela. Their stated rationale was to extract the corrupt president of that country, who was under indictment in the U.S., and to bring him to justice. They did that. That one is done and dusted.
But the Americans have stayed in Venezuela, taken control of their natural resources, and vowed to “run” that country for the foreseeable future.
Next on the agenda appears to be Greenland. Although the Americans already have a military base there, President Trump believes they have to “own” the island in order to protect America’s security in relation to Russia and China.” No doubt, Putin and Xi are laughing in their teacups over that one.
Trump argues that Denmark has no legitimate claim to Greenland and, in recent days, has said that America will take control of Greenland, ”the easy way or the hard way.”
The question Canadians must ask themselves is, who will be next? President Trump has made no secret about wanting Canada to become America’s 51st State. We really have to ask ourselves, if he wants to occupy Canada, who is going to stop him?
In a recent article, journalist Martin Regg Cohn wrote that Venezuela, now occupied by the United States government, is 1727 kilometers away from America, but Canada is precisely zero kilometers from our undefended border with America, a border that President Trump has said is nothing more than a line in the sand.
I continue to be surprised at the number of people I hear from in Canada who do not believe that the Trump Administration is a threat to Canada’s sovereignty. A few of those perhaps would be quite happy for the United States to take over Canada, but many more simply don’t believe it will ever happen.
In my view, the writing is on the wall, and we ignore this risk at our peril.
Bob Rae, unleashed from his responsibilities as Canada’s Ambassador to the United Nations, is now speaking out forcibly about his concern for Canada.
In an interview with journalist Susan Delacourt, Rae acknowledged that his own worry had started to radically spiral when he read President Trump’s recently released National Security Strategy that declared that the Western Hemisphere belonged to the United States and that the U.S. would do whatever it alone deemed necessary to assert its dominance.
“And yes,” says Rae, “that means Canada too, even if the document didn’t declare it outright. Canadians need to be aware of the game we are now in.”
In her article, Susan Delacourt noted that Rae “raised the spectre of Alberta and Quebec separatist movements – both very real as we enter 2026 – as fodder for Trump to interfere in this country. Just this week, Politico reported that Alberta separatists have been meeting with Trump officials in Washington.
Susan Delacourt also writes that Rae says that we have to confront the fact that any separatist referendum in Canada will destabilize the federation, which plays right into Trump’s hemispheric ambitions.
All of this, in my view, does not have to end in a doomsday prophecy. But as former Canadian Ambassador Bob Rae has said, more gently than perhaps he should have, Canadians need to be aware of the game they are now in. We cannot pretend it isn’t happening.
It is not business as usual. We cannot allow any cracks in our sovereignty that can provide Donald Trump with an excuse to intervene. Canadian unity is an absolute essential as we deal with the hemispheric reality of the Trump Administration. Canada, in my view, is under greater potential threat now than during the Second World War.
I believe that if there was ever a need for a Canadian Unity Council, this is it. Provincial and territorial leaders, along with the prime minister and federal party leaders, need to act as one when it comes to Canadian sovereignty. That includes Quebec and Alberta.
Federal Conservatives need to come to grips with the fact that Mark Carney is the Prime Minister of Canada. They need to get over the reality that they missed the boat this time around.
Mark Carney, on the other hand, must recognize that this is a time when all political leaders at the federal and provincial levels need to be at the table in a meaningful way during this pivotal crisis. As hard as it may be, the shouting, the name-calling, and the blame games must be paused.
Canada needs to put more emphasis on its military capabilities, and it needs to have a greater military presence in the Canadian Arctic. If NATO falls apart because the United States, a key NATO member, attacks other NATO members, then Canada must play a leading role in uniting other nations, both formerly in NATO and in South America to form a military alliance. That cannot happen if those countries do not see Canada as a country fulfilling its own military responsibilities, as limited as those may be.
Canada has a great deal of respect internationally, and Prime Minister Carney is right to place an emphasis on those relationships and to seek new partnerships. He is also right to keep his cool with the United States government, but he cannot back down from any principles or proposals that threaten Canadian sovereignty.
The reality we must face is that the United States government is currently operating unilaterally outside of international law and even American law, and Canada is right on their doorstep. So far, no one is stopping them.
This is simply no time for those of us on this side of the border to bury our heads in the sand.
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 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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We have to depend on our leaders . The world versus Trump. We can write letters until we are purple but only the leaders can get us out of this world mess. Will they?
That is the question.
In the meantime, we have to find enjoyment and appreciation in our everyday lives.
Take a deep breath and enjoy what you can. This too will pass. To our leaders I say be wise.
Do you feel just a little……unsettled? From a “benevolent elephant” to something that slithers. That’s what our southern neighbor has become. Maybe not the populace as a whole, but the leadership for sure. From the cornerstone of an organization to the first to bail and make a play for lucre. Because the plays for Greenland and Canada will be just taking the opportunity to steal something.
‘the donald’ said something along the line of “we’re going to go in there (referring to Greenland) or China will go in there or Russia will.” That was a pronouncement that their American membership in NATO is dead! Because America was (is?) a member of an organization that supposedly prevents Russia or China from just “going in there.” America already has the Pituffik base on Greenland so what need to steal it all?
The man (I use the term reluctantly) could spell the end of “civil rights’ and “rights and freedoms” for another goodly portion of the world. The Ukraine gave up its nuclear arsenal with the understanding that America would act as guardian. We, Canada and Greenland, have no arsenal to give up. And it will all be to Make America Great Again.
But, in my opinion, the ship is sinking and that fool won’t save it. Will dying rich make him feel good?
Hope not.
There is no reason for the US to take over Greenland.
The US already has a military base there and I’m sure Greenland would be happy to allow more US bases under the same deal if the US is worried about security.
That’s the stance Greenland, Denmark and other EU countries should take.
Many also have US bases.
Remember Trump’s reign of terror is temporary. All the next presidential candidate has to do is say they will reverse all of Trump’s ridiculous moves.
Trump’s reign of terror may actually be over this year.
“Democrats only need to flip three more seats to win the House, and according to the non-partisan Cook Political Report, a whopping eighteen races have shifted into the blue column.” Trump could lose Congress even before the midterms.
And, Mr. Mackenzie’s most important question, asked in the Title of his Commentary whether Canada’s sovereignty is in danger, definitely requires serious contemplation. My opinion is that, unfortunately, yes, Canada’s sovereignty is in danger as long as the USA is governed by president Trump and his hand picked equally unhinged members of his government.
Excellent commentary and excellent comments to the commentary.
Not many people around the world are truly happy with president Trump’s ways and shenanigans, not even folks within the GOP.
But there are two people in this world who are really happy with president Trump. One is president Trump himself and the other one is his buddy in Kremlin, president Putin.
President Trump has so far fulfilled most of president Putin’s dreams.
Trump is dividing USA. Trump is eroding democracy and economy of the USA. And, the supreme “world peace maker” president Trump, has not meddled too much into Putin’s aggression in Ukraine. In fact, other than making a lot of noise, president Trump has not done anything concrete towards peace in that poor country.
And, he, president Trump is about to brake up NATO. Because, in his demented greed, he believes that Greenland’s natural recourses are more important than peace on Earth. Yes, I know that president Trump says that to own Greenland is of paramount importance for the security of the USA. Lies.
President Trump has so far bestowed so many gifts to president Putin that he, president Putin, will have a hard time to return the favours, short of braking up the EU by sawing discord among the membership. Hungary and Slovakia come to mind.
Can anyone keep up with the freak show that is ‘the donald’ and the strangling of American democracy? One distraction after another by the “hypoglycemic five year old” and there seems to be no one in the USA can keep up nor call time. If he gets to where he is allowed to invoke ‘The insurrection Act”, then we better just close our eyes and put our hands over our ass. Their democracy will be done and ours in jeopardy .
American troops loosed upon their own people. Tragedy in the offing. I know Lincoln invoked the same act in 1861. But Lincoln, in my opinion, had synapses that fired rationally. The war among the Americans was not of his making. This time the President will be the perpetrator of the violence. Because he thinks he is right and great and he wants everyone to think that too. Even if you perish while being convinced.
The threat to Greenland is not just a difference of opinion over an ice cube. Greenland would choose autonomy, but given the choice of association with Denmark or ‘the donald’, Denmark will win every time. Who can trust the president of the United States? Remarkably, some Americans and some others still do. Canadians should note how close Greenland is to us. If they (America) will go so far as to trash NATO and claim Greenland, why stop there? Canada is not Ukraine. We don’t seem to even want to send a token force to aid the alliance’s cause. Not that it has a snowball’s chance in hell of standing against American logistics. But are we only proud of these rights and freedoms we enjoy when somebody else won them? At least a gesture!
On the lighter side, Maria Corina Machado is awarded the Nobel Peace prize. A Venezuelan politician who had her country’s sovereign ‘dissed’ and then was herself bypassed as the possible new leader. She then gives the award to ‘the donald’!!! Not much wonder he didn’t think she could do the job. Not and obviously be that ……thick! But the award is not transferable so ‘the donald’ gets a chunk of gold-plated gold that he likely could have bought. What a perfect example of ill-placed ass kissing.
It’s easy for me to express how I feel about a situation, especially this performance in the US. It’s easy to rant and pontificate as some have here on Doppler. It’s tougher to say that you are willing to stand against tyranny. And then do it. There is always the ‘flight or fight’ option. Hope we never really have to do it. But I’m too old to run. And where?
Maybe it’s all just bluster. Who in the world would choose to be an ally of America today? Who in their right mind can accept anything their president says as truth? ‘the donald’ talking is like getting a phone call from “——-customer service’. Just plain bulls$#t.
The USA has always been a sort of benevolent elephant in the room when it comes to policy with Canada.
Now Trump has changed all this.
He is an arrogant, poorly educated bully with no morals. He is a pathological liar and forces his group of “toady” staff, hand picked for their ability to ignore reality and confirm to his wishes regardless of legality, science or logic (did you drink Javex during Covid?)
He pays no attention to any law he thinks he can circumvent and indeed, uses what laws he can as a weapon against anybody who dares speak against him.
In short, he is absolutely no better or different than is Putin, or any other dictator. His policies will cause economic harm to the USA and all countries it deals with and it is a wonder that this is not happening faster than it is currently but it will happen. He is a total climate change denier, risking the future of the World for his own temporary enrichment.
In a short and blunt summary, Trump is a “very bad neighbor” but we are stuck with him.
He has no “need” for Greenland, already having Alaska if Americans want to chill out and look at Russia.
He has no claim to any parts of North and South America.
He has no claim to Cuba.
He has no right to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico, maybe Gulf of Cuba makes more sense.
His trade tariffs are a world wide nightmare for economists, one that is probably not legal and changes hourly.
If any “ordinary citizen” acted the way he does they would be placed in a padded cell and sedated while the doctors tried to find a “cure”.
We need to do all we can to protect ourselves from him and that means that ALL CANADIANS need to work together for the collective good of Canada and the rest of the World.
Tech note at end here is take the globe map in Hugh’s article with a small dose of reality as the map projection enlarges land the closer you go to the pole. Canada and Greenland etc. are not nearly as big as they appear in this map. Not that this little fact bothers Trump.
Will Congress say no to Trump?
Will the USA military refuse an order to attack a fellow member of NATO?
If not, will the other NATO members come together to defend Greenland, Denmark?
Will the more than 50 democracies around the world, call in the USA bonds, close USA military bases, cut off all trade with the USA?
Either way, all Canadian leaders, Canadian citizens have a voice and as a body must resist.
Greenland, Denmark say no to Trump. We must be ready to say more than no to Trump. Wake up before it’s too late.
The chaos and fallout from this out-of-control Trump administration just worstened, as we learned the US Justice Department is now going after Fed Chair Powell, almost certainly for not bending to Trump’s wants. No institution, agreement or partnership is safe from this unchecked predator now.
As I have said before, Trump will be coming for our natural resources, it’s only a matter of when and how. His plan includes sowing Canadian division and fear, thus why we need to move much faster to get the big energy and resource projects going. That includes new pipelines to our coasts to expand energy trade, our biggest export by far. If we can’t get a new west coast oil pipeline approved quickly, Alberta will become open to much closer US alignment … playing right into Trump’s plans.
As many have called out already, it’s time for all political parties at all levels of government to work together to deal with this very real threat to our country, and to get important things done that have stalled for far too long. Our future as a sovereign nation may depend on it.
Hi Hugh, thanks for another article that cuts through the smoke screen and makes things clear. My only comment is, I feel we are in exactly the same situation as Greenland. If Trump decides to take us, there isn’t anything we can do to stop him. What we can and should do however, is just like Greenland, invite the US to install bases wherever he wants. We’ve traded with them for years, we should continue to be as open as possible, and give them first access to oil, minerals etc, until this blows over. Perhaps we can avoid losing our sovereignty and identity.
Rod Boynton
Okay. Wait a minute. Didn’t the convicted felon say Canada has NOTHING they need ? So why all the hupla!!!. The guy doesn’t know what he is doing or saying from one day to the next. And that goes for all his weak pupits. Seriously. You are 100% correct Hugh. As are the other comments made. We are in big trouble. And the sooner PP gets off his high horse and works with Carnie, the better. Do we have to go down there and burn the Whitehouse again !!!
Unfortunately you are right on the mark.
Terrifying
Well said and I agree with you. This is the time to unite. This is the time for Poilievre and his followers to accept that Carney is our Prime Minister. He’s doing everything within his power to retain Canada’s sovereignty. He’s calm, cool, and collected.
To your point: yes, Canadians need to acknowledge and pay attention to the fact that we are right outside the U.S. doorstep. We can’t afford to bury our heads in the sand because we want to avoid being uncomfortable.
Make no mistake; Trump still has his eye on Canada. Their government continues to ignore laws and no one is stopping them. No one. Scary.
Let us not forget there are forces at play that are much bigger than any legitimate or illegitimate government. Trump and his dangerous ghost writer Miller and the fools that support them are ignorant of the world’s two biggest existential threats: a) We have already breached the very sensitive 1.5°C limit above safe global temperatures that in the 2015 Paris Climate Accord was agreed to by 195 countries and thought to be safe, if we could achieve Net-Zero emissions by 2050. and b) Global reserves of oil and gas are shrinking fast and will be essentially depleted in about 40 years (2065).
Recent reports indicate that 80% of global emissions in 2023 came from just 12 of 195 countries with China, USA, India, EU, and Russia at the top of the list. But China and the EU are now providing positive leadership in cutting emissions with rapidly increased electrification of energy supplies and applications, such as electric vehicles. Mainly in the EU and China, 17 million vehicles (21% of the 81 million vehicles sold worldwide in 2024) were electric.
The world’s highly trained climate experts are warning us every day that climate change is fast putting civil society at the risk of total collapse. But how many are listening?
Anyone concerned about our kids and paying attention to recent heat waves, droughts, wildfires, atmospheric rivers and resulting massive floods in all parts of the world knows that we should be more concerned about climate change and future supplies of safe energy for 10 billion people, than about the machinations of selfish egomaniacs and would-be tin-pot dictators that are bringing the world closer to disaster as each day goes by.
Don’t forget Canada is looking for new and expanded trade partners. China is way up on the list to one of Canada’s main partners. How do you think this will fit with Mr. Trumps plans….NOT!
I don’t envy Carney for the task he’s facing here. He’s following ten years of poor governance from a fool that couldn’t even be bothered to mention Alberta during the Canada 150 celebrations. Alberta has the youngest and most entrepreneurial workforce, and has the highest growth rates. After decades of disdain and contempt from the Liberal laurentian elite, what exactly is Carney’s sales pitch to make Alberta stay? Something along the lines of “we need you to pay for our unemployed and retirees, and wait twenty more years and Prime Minister Xav Trudeau will continue more of Dad and Grandpa’s damage?”
I imagine the answer is going to be no thanks
I think you’re missing the forest through the trees. Canada is not the same country my father fought for in ww2. We have embraced radical elements that are hostile to the United States and to many Canadians. We are not fulfilling our obligation to curb Chinese influence in our government and political system. We are inviting foreign actors into our country that are hostile to our neighbor. We in a smaller way are doing the same things Venezuela has been doing for at least a decade. If we don’t change course a correction will happen whether we like it or not.
Hugh Mackenzie raises important concerns about the direction of U.S. policy under Donald Trump, particularly the erosion of respect for international law and multilateral norms. Canadians should absolutely be paying attention to that.
Where I think we need to be careful is not to let fear outrun analysis. Acknowledging risk and refusing panic aren’t the same thing — and confusing the two is exactly how fear-based politics gains ground.
This isn’t a liberal argument — it’s rooted in small-c conservative principles: respect for institutions, caution about concentrated power, and a belief that stability and competence matter.
Trump’s rhetoric thrives on chaos, grievance, and intimidation — but rhetoric is not the same thing as strategic capacity. Canada is not Venezuela, and it is not Greenland. We are a G7 economy with deep global alliances, an integrated but mutually dependent relationship with the United States, and institutions that still command broad international trust.
Fear is politically useful for authoritarian leaders because it creates the impression that power is the only defence. Calm, competence, and credibility are far more destabilizing to that style of politics — and those remain Canadian strengths.
Unity matters, but unity built on panic is brittle. Unity built on confidence, shared facts, and institutional stability is durable.
This is not a time to bury our heads in the sand — but it is also not a time to convince ourselves that Canada is powerless. A steady, pragmatic approach that strengthens our institutions, our alliances, and our Arctic presence without inflaming fear is exactly what will protect Canadian sovereignty in the long run.
Hugh, for the second week in a row, I believe you’re spot-on – Canada’s existential ‘Hour of Decision’ in regard to its existence as a sovereign nation has arrived and will likely be decided in 2026; and yes, ‘this is simply no time for those of us on this side of the [world’s longest undefended] border to bury our heads in the sand.’ The first step for all dedicated, patriotic, and thinking Canadians in this ‘Hour of Decision’ is to download and carefully read, reflect upon, discuss with others, President Trump’s arrogant 2025 National Security Strategy that was published on the 4th December, wherein he politically resurrects that ‘exceptionalist,’ Manifest Destiny-flavoured, annexationist-prone Monroe Doctrine of 1823.
Yes, we will need a ‘National Unity Council’ as was the case somewhat in British North America during the 1860s that resulted in Canadian Confederation; at a time when the Americans were tearing their republic apart with a deadly civil war that took in the neighbourhood of 600,000 lives including those taken by disease as a result of war. Homework: do an internet search on ‘the Great Coalition of 1864-67’ and reflect on its historic accomplishment that required significance political leadership that included that ‘nation-builder,’ a Liberal-Conservative [!], Sir John A. Macdonald, yes, ‘warts & all’! Oh yes, happy 211th birthday Sir John A! Yes, an immigrant, ‘Old Tomorrow,’ 11 January 1815 – 6 June 1891.
Again, in complete agreement Hugh. Bob Rae was very clear: we should not despair..that is a capitulation. Rather, it’s time to “power up” by unifying our Canadian team (all provinces, territories and political parties’ (are you listening PP? ). The only thing we need now is confidence to be bold in the face of insane tyranny. Let’s “Winston Churchill” this guy!