Mercy Traveller is a semi-regular opinion piece written by Guelph's Philip Maher.
Here we are in the middle of what the Wall Street Journal has called the “dumbest trade war in history.” We’re in a deep dive on a submarine. We are trying to divine the murky waters ahead – send one ping, just one ping only. Likely, our craft is headed for ports beyond Canada down through the Gulf of Mexico through the Panama Canal to Greenland and then to Gaza.
Canada is just one of the boxes the U.S. President Donald Trump is ticking on his to-do list as he goes full, crazy Joe Exotic. There is now a great purge. He’s firing anyone he considers 'Deep State’ – that is, anybody who disagrees with the dear leader.
Furthermore, he’s removing security from anybody who challenged him and considering the demotion of retired military leaders. Thank you for your service. He’s fired nearly two dozen inspector generals, who scrutinize misconduct in government, and he’s tossing around pardons like candy at the Santa Clause parade. Does anybody doubt the wisdom of Biden pardoning his own list in light of Trump’s vendetta?
Trump is like the guy selling smokeless ash trays on tv… “but wait, there’s more.” He’s abolishing the occupational safety and health administration and … well I won’t repeat the list here. He could have done some of this in an orderly fashion, but he lives in a world of winners and losers. He does not negotiate, he takes hostages.
The U.S. government has become a system of short-term thinkers. No doubt Republican faithful bros (let’s face it even the women identify as bros) are high-fiving each other for all that has been done so swiftly.
However, America has lost something that cannot be regained – trust. President Trump has won a battle, but he has lost the war and this will stick to America tighter than skin on a ballpark hot dog.
The U.S. has now ruptured its relationship with Canada and the rest of the world. These relationships will be damaged for generations. After Canada, Mexico or whomever pays ransom to Trump, he will likely continue to dangle economic ruin on anybody that does not go his way. “Making America Great,” means devouring everybody else. This is the way extortionists operate. We pay the kidnapper, but he comes back for more. We now understand that the U.S. can radically change with each new administration. No matter who comes after this administration, the U.S. cannot be trusted. No, it’s not exactly like the lack of trust we might have had for the former Soviet Union, but a duplicate of the Trump administration can rear its head at any time. We need to protect ourselves.
The U.S industry has enjoyed easily accessible resources from Canada for a long time and at a significantly discounted price given that Canada’s dollar is eternally weak. It’s time to re-evaluate. Some American industries would not survive without this huge windfall. It won’t be easy, but Canada has resources to sell globally. Who knew?
As Trump pours the cement for concrete shoes while humming God Bless America, he says “it’s nothing personal, it’s just business, I like Canada,” just before he tosses us into the lake.
The USA, though imperfect, was seen like other western countries – a modicum of some stability and fairness. This is no longer true. Trump is in payback mode, what other reason can there be for removing security for retired civil servants? He’s angry, and now, so are we. He has traded the globalization of empathy for the globalization of mistrust and business.
Fool us once, shame on us, fool us twice and shame on you again. With each new administration, the U.S. cannot be trusted, no matter who takes the helm after Mr. Trump.
Even worse, as he pulls away from the world, China and Russia will be happy to fill the void, and they won’t be asking about pesky human rights when they offer help.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not advocating for the former administration, or for that matter, Justin Trudeau, or Pierre Poilievre. Every party does some good, even Trump, Biden or whomever. If folks don’t see that, they have been watching too much media on the extreme right or left. However, there is a tipping point that helps us decide who to vote for. That is democracy; Hate is not. It is simply an emotional reaction.
My American colleagues are still my friends, but I mourn the loss of a country we used to trust. This administration has thrown away any goodwill through ladling out a litany of short-term policies that bring about what is perhaps unintended consequences.
We have a long way to go with this president, but global loss of trust may be one of the most enduring legacies of this administration.
The genie is out of the bottle and it cannot be put back. Trust is gone.