The Coast Range peaks of British Columbia, most prominently the Golden Ears, loom up north of Bellingham. The skyline is especially gorgeous on a cold, clear winter’s day. The mountains are “out” but the political climate is ominous this winter. President Trump is threatening to slap tariffs as high as 25 percent on Canada’s exports to the United States.
With bellicose rhetoric, Trump has talked of Canada as “the 51st state” and applying “economic force.” The 49th parallel, he says, is “an artificially drawn line.” Trump has gone out of his way to humiliate Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Trudeau tried flattery during the first Trump administration, only to hear the POTUS say Trudeau was “destroying” Canada. When Trudeau journeyed to Mar a Lago after the November election, it was only to be once more mocked.
Used to keeping its cool, the Great White North is having an anxiety attack — as well it might. Exports from Canada to the United States totaled $439.6 billion in 2023, with the biggest export ($58.21 billion in vehicles) followed by oil and natural gas, electrical products, and aluminum.
The Pacific Highway crossing in Blaine is one of the five most traveled trade routes between the two countries. Its economy still anchored in natural resources, British Columbia sends us wood, pulp and paper, oil and natural, gas plus strategic minerals.
If Trump carries through on his threats, it could cost B.C. 124,000 jobs by 2028 and cut corporate profits by as much as $6.1 billion (Canadian) a year, according to the British Columbia government. “This is an attack on British Columbia families,” said BC Premier David Eby.
U.S. politicians have been woefully ignorant of Canada and its status as a trading partner. America sent $356.5 billion in exports to Canada in 2023, accounting for 17.3 percent of United States export trade.
In the late 1970s, the National Energy Board of Canada boosted the price of export-bound B.C. natural gas. At the behest of Washington Natural Gas, then-Gov. Dixy Lee Ray flew to Victoria and confronted B.C. Premier W.R. “Mr. Bill” Bennett. She demanded that Bennett roll back gas prices.
Over lunch in the ornate Bengal Room of the Empress Hotel, he tried to explain that the Energy Board, not the province, set gas prices. After a couple shots of Scotch, Dixy told Bennett he could take his gas and stick it where the moon don’t shine. She flew home and called on Washington natural gas customers to switch to oil heat.
So it goes for Canada. The late Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, father of Justin, famously equated living next door to the United States with being in bed with an elephant. Even if the beast is benign, said he, you “feel every twist and grunt.”
Donald Trump is certainly not benign. Moreover, Canada is in the midst of political turmoil. Trudeau is unpopular and stepping down as prime minister. The governing Liberal Party is selecting a new leader who will become prime minister. And the opposition Conservative Party is heavily favored to win the upcoming national election.
What is Canada to do? Some approaches have emerged:
Grovel and accommodate:
Canada could accede to Trump’s demands, cut support to its own industries and boost its defense budget. It could also pay homage to Trump. Premier Danielle Smith of oil-exporting Alberta did just that, flying to Mar-a-Lago and meeting with Trump and cronies. “I emphasized the importance of the U.S.-Canada energy relationship and specifically, how hundreds of thousands of American jobs are supported by energy exports from Alberta,” the conservative premier said, heading out.
Smith gained nothing to show. A sumup in The Narawhal, a Canadian environmental magazine, concluded: “The premier laid her cards on the table and got nothing from a man known to throw friends and foes under any bus that passes by as he works to achieve his own ends.”
Send a message — gently:
Justin Trudeau and Ontario Premier Doug Ford are urging citizens to “buy Canadian” to pressure their massive southern neighbor. “Make sure we send a message to big retailers, Costco, Sobeys, Walmart, Mets, and Loblaws: Buy Canadian products,” Ford said as Canada’s premiers gathered for a strategy session last week. Trudeau laid it out in delicate, indirect terms saying: “Having Canadian consumers have alternatives . . . Is part of how we make sure that Canadians do not bear undue costs around tariffs.” But pain to the elephant may be minimal. Canada has only one-tenth the United States’ population.
Punch back:
Premier Eby wants direct action in response to any Trump tariffs. He has suggested slapping a tariff on U.S. truckers using the Alaska Highway. And banishing U.S. booze from B.C. liquor stores. He has gone so far as to suggest that Canadians not travel to the United States. That punch would have a big impact in Whatcom County. Still, British Columbia has less than half the population of Washington. “Snowbird” Canadians flock to Florida in winter, but their numbers are dwarfed by migrating Americans.
British Columbia has deep cleavages. Bitter strikes have pitted major employers against powerful unions. Aboriginal First Nations have pressed land claims. The left-leaning New Democratic Party of Premier Eby barely beat back Conservatives in a recent election.
But as the old adage goes, there’s nothing like a hanging in the morning to focus the mind. Eby has enlisted such political opposites as the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade as part of a new task force on trade and economic security.
Taking on the bully 47th U.S. president is no fun. Trump enjoys chaos, intimidation, vengeance, and inflicting hurt– all are central to the Trump DNA.
British Columbia and Washington share a gorgeous corner of God’s earth, and their peoples share common values. But an unmistaken message needs to come from the north, best expressed by the former B.C. Premier Dave Barret: “This is a sovereign country.”
This article also appeared in the Cascadia Advocate.
This threat is crazy in so many ways. We have the most dependable and peaceful neighbor to our immediate north and this is how we treat them? It disrespects the motto on the Peace Arch at our common border which states, “Born of a Common Mother”. The trade numbers show both Nations greatly benefit from our tied economic futures. Regarding “state” talk, it’s ignorant to even talk about this, but even if Canadian citizens wanted to join the United States, their 12 provinces would each be a state meaning that Canada would have 24 U.S. Senators and their 41,000,000 people at 760,000 per congressional district, would have 52 representatives in Congress. Lets get back to reality and stop threatening our cherished neighbor to the north.