The world is upside down at the moment. Few will deny that. Some will celebrate it, but most of us are concerned and frightened, especially as events become more chaotic and uncertain, now, almost on a daily basis.
It has been less than eighteen months since Donald Trump was re-elected as President of the United States. In that short period of time, he has managed to manipulate post-pandemic realities tied to the economy and to social unrest related to the status quo into a dramatic challenge to world order and the balance of power. It remains a matter of debate, at least for me, as to whether Trump is the catalyst or the cause.
Canada is not immune from what is going on. Donald Trump has been consistent in his belief that Canada should be annexed by the United States. However soft his language, it is not his fantasy. It is his goal to control Canada and our natural resources.
Indeed, the Trump Administration and the MAGA base that supports it have been crystal clear about their intent to position the United States as the supreme power in the entire Western Hemisphere, with an ability to determine leadership and political priorities where they deem it in the best interests of America. In my view, those who believe otherwise, or think this is just a negotiating strategy with no intent of actually following through, have their head deep in the sand.
Trump’s Tariff wars have been devastating, not just to the countries he has targeted, but to the United States as well, proving that he really doesn’t understand how they work. The fact that his own Supreme Court has found them to be currently illegal, that he improperly used emergency powers to impose them, means nothing to him. He just changes gears, utters a few threats, and goes on going on.
Where it does not suit him, Donald Trump basically ignores the Constitution of the United States. He has seized power in that country in areas he is not entitled to, and he has exercised international power without proper authority.
He pretty well ignores Congress. If he can’t buy its members, he threatens them with primaries, and if he can’t control them, he ignores them. The saddest part is that the United States Congress allows this.
Donald Trump has demonstrated callous disregard for the rule of law and for the weakening of institutional and democratic traditions and values in the United States. He revels in revenge politics both nationally and internationally. Any deviation from what he wants to do invites retaliation. Tolerance and understanding have been eliminated from his vocabulary, assuming they were ever there in the first place.
How quickly the President of the United States has manipulated his office into one that is showing serious seeds of authoritarianism, not unlike the President of Russia or the President of China. How absolutely frightening that is.
It is against this ominous background, related to an unstable president with an alarming agenda, that we must judge the appropriateness of action taken by the United States, instigated by Donald Trump, to effectively declare war against Iran. His current military operations in Iran have placed the entire world on a war footing. Russia has already indicated it would intervene if the conflict continues.
There is no question that Iran is a terrorist regime that subverts its own people and spreads antisemitism throughout the Middle East. It may also be true that they were within days of launching an attack against the United States. That is what President Trump has said, but with the erosion of trust and cooperation in international intelligence, it is impossible to know whether that is reality or an excuse.
There is a valid argument to be made that a regime change is long overdue in Iran if there is ever to be a real chance for peace in the Middle East. Clearly, there are those, many of whom otherwise oppose the antics and authoritarianism of Donald Trump, who are happy that he is going after the bad guys like those who have ruled Venezuela and Iran.
Some would take the position that legal niceties or required authorizations do not matter. Just get in there and get the job done. It pains me to disagree, but I do.
The President of the United States has no constitutional power to initiate war against a sovereign nation without the approval of Congress. Trump does not have it, and technically, Donald Trump did not initiate war. He described the invasion as pre-emptive self-defense and the prevention of future threats.
This was Donald Trump’s way of avoiding permission from Congress. But the reality is that the United States is at war with Iran. Trump himself calls it a war almost every day and says that it won’t stop until Iran unconditionally surrenders. If it walks like a duck and it quacks like a duck, it’s a duck.
The invasion of Iran was at the whim of a single individual, one with, charitably, questionable stability, without any real international consultation or approval, and without any hard evidence that there was an immediate threat to the United States. However tempting it may be, it is, by any standard, an illegal war.
Why is it important to call this out? Because it is the endgame that really matters. When this is all over, and at some point, it will be, what do we really want?
In my view, initiating external hostilities without proper procedure and adherence to the rule of law, even for what may be perceived as an acceptable reason, is a major step toward anarchy.
As odious as the Iranian regime is, the principle at stake is much larger than Iran itself. When a president launches a war without compelling, provable, and verified evidence of an imminent threat and without the authorization of Congress, the precedent is clear: war becomes an executive choice rather than a national decision. If that standard for exercising control over other nations is accepted today, it can be invoked tomorrow, against any country at any time, whenever a president, however mentally well, believes it is convenient.
Is that the endgame we want? A United States, on our doorstep, with despotic leadership not unlike that of Russia or China?
I would certainly hope not.
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 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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Peter Zychowski
Thank you for presenting an accurate analysis of the theatening political situation in Canada as Mark Carney has moved from his advisory position with Justin Trudeau to elected PM and rapidly implements his agenda to replace government by the people, for the people with world governance which he labelled in his Davos speech as The New World Order.
Mr. Mackenzie, not much to add. I fully understand your comment wondering if Trump the catalyst or the cause. He certainly knew how to read and ignite a grievance. Americans were primed and groomed for the TV salesman. Begs the question, if Trump removed, what kind of leadership would rise to the top to take his place?
I feel as if I am watching a group of 13 year old boys run a country, aided and abetted by a spineless Supreme Court.
My fundamental question backs up to: how could a country allow a convicted felon, a convicted sexual assault perpetrator to run for office at all? I surmise that Americans glamorize a Maverick, an outsider, a cowboy, the loner sheriff cleaning up the bad guys- watching too many American westerns on TV. To me, that is nearing magical thinking.
The chaos, mess, suffering is real on the world stage. Many have not learned anything from the historical past. We need to stay vigilant and help one another when and where we can.
Mr. Holland; you do well to point out the changes in American election campaign contributions as opening doors for interest groups. Correct me if I am in error, did not that change occur with the Reagan administration? Our premier likes RR, keep an open eye folks.
Anyone given any thought to what the “Fifty first state” might mean to the man who has made that suggestion? We’re talking a world class rectum here, surrounded by a bush-league collection of pores. There is nothing that would be left of Canada. And there is no way we would be considered a ‘state’ or classed as citizens. Maybe we could be a semi-autonomous region; like Inner Mongolia or Tibet. Or maybe an unincorporated region of the US. Like Puerto Rico.
Not likely the country would be left undivided, since such a big ‘state’ would piss off Texas and Alaska. Just how that dividing would be done is open to conjecture. However I doubt Quebec would be left as one unit. And the ‘notwithstanding ‘ part of our constitution would bite the dust. No more acting like a country, within a country. Alberta, brace yourself. Canadians too, ’cause our riches would no longer be ours.
Unlikely we would be allowed the vote for a good number of years. Unless they could be sure that everyone would become a Republican. Wouldn’t be able to trust a citizenry who have just had their country and pride snatched away from them. There may be a little residual bitterness. Since these people, the American government, can’t trust themselves, they may never trust ex-Canadians. For a long time. And none of us would have access to reconciliation.
There is a good sum of cash stored away in funds to cover future Canadian pensions. Wouldn’t seem fair to leave that to fulfill it’s intended purpose. Not when a lot of US citizens hardly have that to look forward to. As the book said “But the pension fund was just sitting there”. It could well be used to buy a bomb or build a bomber to deliver the bomb. To be used to subjugate or beggar some other nation.
These are just a few musings on my part, but I imagine that the fact would be far worse than I can conjure up. What a world when justice, law, freedom, truth and rights become just words in a past vocabulary.
My wife and I are currently out of Canada, visiting our daughter. We were sitting on the beach and chatting. A well built fellow with a broad smile stopped by and asked: ” Where are you guys from?” I replied that we were from Canada. He grinned and said:” Oops, I am an American. I guess I should not be declaring that too loudly to a Canadian these days…?”
As we were both on the ground of a third country,
I replied that we Canadians don’t have anything against the American people as such, but that we sure don’t understand their, the American, government.
The American grabbed my hand and shook it cordially while saying: “Join the club! Join the club, buddy!”
And that’s it in my opinion. The whole world is in turmoil and bewilderment because of the event of one demented person.
There must be a sense of urgency in the attack frenzy of Israel. A week in and ‘the donald’ still hasn’t found another shiny object to fixate and captivate his notice. To keep the Congress and Senate so ham strung as to be pretty much irrelevant. A lot of bobbleheads in the front window of the world. I’ve written before that the US doesn’t finish well and Israel must feel they have to get it done ‘toot sweet’.
The chicken hawks have been asked if they will put boots on the ground in Iran. Hard to say how that would go down in America. Losses would be heavy. But I wonder if the people are into their sons dying in another patch of the globe. Not well I think. Vietnam, Cambodia, Afghanistan. All bitter pills for an ego to swallow and this ego is monstrous. I’m sure ‘the donald’ and Hegseth, (the ‘Spike and Tyke’ of todays news) could care less. Nobody they know would be in those boots.
Recently I read somewhere that the US was considering withdrawing defense support systems from South Korea. What other ‘ally’ can be relived of their US assistance. Toys cost big bucks and you can’t keep them and use them and supply others, and expect them to still have them.
Makes one wonder how Taiwan feels right now. If China were to sail across the Taiwan Strait, would ‘the donald’ even care? But that confrontation would be epic. There would be little quarter given or expected. And there would be boots on the ground. I’m sure the world might expect a declaration of hostilities, but the fact is, rule of law is nowhere today except where ‘the donald’ finds it convenient.
There were talks underway when the American/Israeli coalition attacked Iran. Talks to wipe out/control the nuclear program in Iran. Said program was supposedly ‘devastated’ some 9 months ago. We know there is no trusting ‘the donald’. How could a nation that surrenders to him, know for sure that it is actually over? His word means nothing and there is no ‘rule of law’ in his world. And who knows why he attacked when he did. Start a war or pop a Bromo!.
Peter Zychowski: I worry for my country too. We can agree on that. But I do take exception to your rhetoric. Man! That is a dark kitchen you’re cooking in.
USA implosion. Canada will survive.
Canada is so far behind we think we’re winning the race (and self-righteously patting ourselves on the back while we’re at it.)
The current federal government offers nothing but managed decline.
Given the current state of the Trump-induced psychosis amongst an entire generation of Canadians, things are going to get a lot worse before they get any better.
By that point, the kids and grandkids of anyone presently under 65 will be long gone. The brain drain induced by our nihilistic federal government that governs by whatever is polling well at the moment will be brutal.
I”m deeply worried for our country. We’re our own worst enemies.
Most of the wars in this century have had to do with oil. 46 countries have more than a billion barrels of proven reserves, 58 countries have trace amounts, and 91 countries have no oil. Fighting over oil reserves is ultimately pure non-productive waste.
Iran was neutral during WW2 but was radicalized after WW2 by the US and the UK trying to control and profit from Iran’s oil. Now the whole world is turning upside down by a fight between two undesirable fanatics, Trump with his outsized ego and the Ayatollah with his extreme hate of the US and associates.
The multi-billionaire Koch brothers made their fortune in oil and lobbied for two decades to get US election laws changed to become the world’s only democracy? to allow corporations and trade unions to contribute directly to election campaigns, and to buy their politicians. They finally got it passed in 2010. That was instrumental in getting Trump and 134 republican congressmen elected. So here we are.
Dale, I think the unease Hugh is describing is something many Canadians are feeling right now. When events move quickly and talk of war enters the headlines, people living beside the world’s largest military power naturally pay close attention to how those decisions are being made.
The American system works very differently from ours. Authority there is divided among Congress, the presidency, and the courts, and those institutions often push back against each other in public view. These are the moments when institutions really matter. The past year has exposed some real strain in that balance, but that visible friction is also one of the guardrails meant to prevent power from resting in a single office. In many ways, the tensions we are seeing now are forcing those institutions to confront gaps and reassert limits that were always meant to exist.
At the same time Canada is not standing still. Countries such as Canada, Australia, and Brazil hold a significant share of the world’s critical minerals, while partners like Japan help secure the sea lanes that keep global trade moving. Canada has also been broadening its economic and strategic partnerships so that our stability does not depend on any single country. It is a reminder that Canadians have long relied on institutional habits that go beyond party politics, where parliamentary accountability, an independent public service, and respect for the rule of law keep national decisions anchored in law rather than in the authority of any single office, regardless of which party happens to be in government.
Hugh, your column raises a valid concern about the danger of presidents launching wars without clear evidence, congressional authorization, or broad public consent. But if that possibility alarms us, history suggests it shouldn’t come as a surprise.
For decades, the United States has intervened in the political affairs of other nations including the undermining of democratically elected governments in the name of fighting communism or protecting strategic interests.
In 1954, the CIA backed the overthrow of Guatemala’s elected president, Jacobo Árbenz. In the early 1960s, Congolese prime minister Patrice Lumumba was removed during a crisis in which the United States supported efforts to sideline him. In 1964, Washington supported the military coup that ousted Brazil’s elected president João Goulart. And in 1973, Chile’s elected president Salvador Allende was overthrown by a coup led by Augusto Pinochet, a monstrous military dictator who assumed power through a U.S. backed coup. following years of CIA-funded destabilization.
These are only a few examples among many. When we debate unilateral military action today, we should recognize that the precedent is not hypothetical; it has been part of U.S. foreign policy for decades. And that should make us very afraid.