Friday, February 7, 2025
Canada-U.S. Economic Summit, Toronto, February 7
Government of Canada's Nation-Wrecking Agenda
Picket in Toronto February 7, 2025, opposes fraud of Canada-U.S.
Economic Forum
• Government of Canada's Nation-Wrecking Agenda
For Your Information
• Prime Minister's Council on Canada-U.S. Relations
Letters to the Editor
• Trump's Tariffs -- Primarily a Political Problem
• What Kind of Racket Is the Government of Canada
Running This
Time?
• First Ministers Are Unfit to Rule
Canada-U.S. Economic Summit, Toronto, February 7
Government of Canada's Nation-Wrecking Agenda
As part of the Government of Canada's "long-term prosperity agenda for Canada," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that his "Council on Canada-U.S. Relations" has convoked a "Canada-U.S. Economic Summit" to be held in Toronto on Friday, February 7. It purports to "bring together Canadian leaders in trade, business, public policy, and organized labour to explore ways to grow Canada's economy, make it easier to build and trade within the country, diversify export markets, and rejuvenate productivity."
The Prime Minister's press release states: "The Government of Canada, Canadian businesses, unions and civil society, and tens of millions of Canadians from coast to coast to coast are united in a common goal: building a stronger Canada with more jobs, higher wages and long-term prosperity."
To convince itself further, the press release repeats: "The Canada-U.S. Economic Summit represents the best that all of Canada has to offer. We are bringing together partners from business, civil society and unions to find ways to stimulate our economy, create more jobs and higher wages, make it easier to build housing and trade within our borders, and diversify export markets. We want businesses, investors and workers to choose Canada."
It is a complete fraud to declare "all together
for the economy,
jobs, wages, housing for a stronger Canada!" For weeks, cartel party
politicians, pundits and experts have praised the relations between
Canada and the United States ad nauseam, coupled with
fearmongering that with Trump's
tariffs Canada's economy will sink, Canadian workers will pay the
price, those they call "consumers" will be hit the hardest and so on.
What is on the table at this time, as far as the Trudeau government is concerned, is to seize the opportunity of Trump's tariffs to find new ways to advance the neo-liberal nation-wrecking "long-term prosperity agenda for Canada." According to Trudeau, who never discusses specifics, this is an agenda "that is resilient, diversified in global trade, and breaks down barriers between Canada's provinces and territories."
As if reading from telemarketing briefing notes, Trudeau tells Canadians, "... we're doing more than just bracing ourselves. We're convening provincial and territorial leaders to do the vital work of breaking down the barriers that hamper inter-provincial trade, trimming unnecessary red tape that is constraining our economic growth and holding Canada back from reaching its full potential."
Trudeau says the aim of today's "Canada-U.S. Economic Summit" is "to explore ways to grow Canada's economy by making it easier to build and trade within the country as well as to develop and diversity export markets." It is clearly misnamed since what to do about Canada-U.S. relations does not seem to be on the agenda. Nonetheless, it seems clear that its aim is not to make sure Canada does not submit to President Trump's declaration that he will convert Canada into a U.S. territory no matter what -- something Canadians will never agree with.
A lot is being spoken about the need to eliminate inter-provincial trade barriers in a manner which favours narrow supranational private interests. Canada's Minister of Transport and Internal Trade Anita Anand says removing existing barriers could lower prices up to 15 per cent and add as much as $200 billion to the Canadian economy. This kind of talk diverts attention from the fact that both the federal and provincial governments are dismantling and privatizing health care and social programs, attacking the very notion of a society responsible to its members. Federal governments have been cutting back on transfer payments originally intended to make sure all Canadians had the same standards of health care, education and social well-being across the country. Differences on economic matters emerge constantly due to the fact that Canada's natural and human resources are put at the disposal of narrow private interests fighting to seize the wealth which rightfully belongs to Canadians, not the rich and powerful.
The
working class and people of Quebec and Canada cannot afford to harbour
any illusions that government promotion of narrow private interests in
any way addresses the claims they are entitled to make on society.
Calls for unity between government, business, civil society and unions
are to
marginalize Canadians from having any say on the direction of Canada's
economy and how
to handle the very serious coup the president of the United States is
carrying out, using his presidential powers to smash all barriers to
his ability to act with impunity in the service of the interests of the
billionaires who he has empowered to take over the state holus bolus.
The Government of Canada is going all out to portray its "consultations" as inclusive. It is issuing frequent press releases which give the impression that Canadians are being kept informed about what is being discussed and what measures are being taken. All of its seeks to cover up that broad discretionary powers give the government sole authority to decide what is in the public interest. There is no mechanism in place which can ensure that the entire decision-making process is known to the people, let alone guarantee their participation in it, or that they have the final say.
Present consultations and proposals to arrive at a "long-term prosperity agenda for Canada" are merely a showpiece in which the government decides what is discussed, how it is discussed and what is decided. It will not change the current direction of the pay-the-rich economy in any substantive way. The consultations being held are to advance the narrow private interests which have seized the state power at the federal level and make them credible.
All Out to Change the Direction of the Economy!
Nation-Wrecking, No! Integration into the U.S. War Economy, No!
Stop Paying the Rich; Increase Investments in Social Programs!
Get Canada Out of CUSMA, NATO and NORAD!
For Your Information
Prime Minister's Council on Canada-U.S. Relations
On January 16, Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau established a Council on Canada-U.S. Relations. The Prime Minister's Office informed that its aim is to support the government in how to respond to possible tariffs; the Council is to meet weekly and, "Comprised of leaders in business, innovation, and policy, the members of the Council will use their sectoral expertise to support the Prime Minister and Cabinet at this important time in the Canada-U.S. relationship."
Its 19 members are:
- former Quebec Premier Jean Charest
- former Alberta Premier Rachel Notley
- former Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil
- former Canadian Ambassador to the U.S. David MacNaughton (2016-2019)
- Canada's former chief trade negotiator for the Canada U.S. Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) and the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) Steve Verheul
- entrepreneur and Dragon's Den host Wes Hall
- entrepreneur and Dragon's Den host Arlene Dickinson
- Former National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister Jody Thomas
- President of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association Flavio Volpe,
- CEO of autoparts manufacturer Linamar Linda Hasenfratz
- CEO of Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business Tabatha Bull
- CEO of media company RHEI Shahrzad Rafati
- Unifor President Lana Payne
- Senator and former CLC President Hassan Yussuff,
- President of the Union des producteurs agricoles Martin Caron
- NDP strategist Brian Topp
- head of uranium producer Cameco Tim Gitzel
- current Canadian Ambassador to U.S. Kirsten Hillman
- Managing Director of private equity firm ARC Financial
Corporation Peter Tertzakian
The Council held its first meeting on January 17 at which, according to the PMO, "The Prime Minister outlined the full range of possible measures being considered by the federal government to ensure a robust response and protect Canadians. He highlighted the Team Canada efforts underway with provinces and territories to strengthen Canada's relationship with the U.S. and protect Canadian investment and jobs. Prime Minister Trudeau also highlighted the actions Canada has undertaken to strengthen border security and immigration, as part of the recently announced $1.3 billion border action plan. Council members shared their perspectives and offered advice to support the government's ongoing work on Canada-U.S. relations."
First Ministers' Meetings
In Canada, a First Ministers' conference is a meeting of the Premiers of the provinces and territories and the Prime Minister.[1] These events are held at the call of the Prime Minister. They are usually held in Ottawa but since the COVID pandemic, have also been held virtually. The First Ministers have been holding virtual weekly meetings since the second week of January to deal with Trump's threats to impose tariffs. All provincial and territorial Premiers plus the Prime Minister have attended.
January 15
The First Ministers met on January 15 and issued a statement expressing their "united response" to U.S. tariffs, which Alberta Premier Smith did not sign. In their "united response" they announced that "collaborative efforts will continue to try to prevent U.S. tariffs, including actions taken by the federal government to strengthen border security and curb the flow of illicit drugs, such as fentanyl, into Canadian and American communities." The "united response" includes efforts to "strengthen the immigration system, tighten visa issuance policy," and the like. The Premiers and Territorial leaders will "continue united advocacy efforts with key U.S. Administration, Congressional and business leaders on the negative impacts of tariffs on the U.S." while working out a "robust response" including supports for sectors, businesses, and individuals to mitigate the effect of tariffs.
"First Ministers acknowledged the importance of increasing defence spending and meeting the NATO two per cent target as quickly as possible, recognizing its critical connection to strategic infrastructure and Canada's economic and security partnership with the U.S. and other allies. They further agreed that collective action must be taken to safeguard Arctic security and sovereignty. First Ministers agreed to advance development of high economic impact projects, including transportation and infrastructure projects, working in partnership with Indigenous Peoples toward economic reconciliation," the statement reads.
While in fact these projects further weaken Canada's economy by further integrating it into the U.S. war economy, the First Ministers declared that "These projects support Canada's economic growth and allow Canada to provide the U.S. with more of the energy, critical minerals, and other goods and services it needs to fuel shared economic growth."
January 22
Following a virtual meeting with the Premiers on January 22, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) issued a statement which purported to address the Canada-U.S. relationship and internal trade. Trudeau is reported to have outlined the ways that the government of Canada is acceding to Trump's demands to militarize the border with its $1.3 billion plan which includes new investments in expanded personnel, cutting-edge technology, and increased law enforcement co-ordination. He repeated that this is what Canada is doing despite the fact that the Canada-U.S. border accounts for a fraction of illegal crossings into the U.S. and less than 0.2 per cent of fentanyl seized by the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. Both are accusations repeated by Donald Trump to "explain" why the U.S. must impose tariffs on Canada if they are not brought under control.
The provinces and territories have also taken "border security initiatives," pledging to work closely with the Trump administration on border security issues, news reports said. This, in part, shores up the underpinnings of the arguments given by elites in Canada that it is okay to attack Mexico, but Canada does not deserve the same treatment. In this vein, at the virtual meeting, the Prime Minister repeated that tariffs are unjustified by the U.S. against its closest ally and a matter of grave concern. As usual, he offered no analysis to explain why the U.S. under Donald Trump is issuing these threats.
According to news reports, at the meeting Premiers shared insights from recent conversations with their U.S. counterparts and the Prime Minister stressed the need for a strong, united Team Canada approach to promote Canadian interests and forge a productive relationship with the Trump administration, with preventing the tariffs a top priority. Discussions are said to be ongoing about the measures federal and provincial and territorial governments are prepared to take in response to a U.S. imposition of tariffs. They have discussed reducing barriers to trade within Canada and that the Committee on Internal Trade should meet as soon as possible to propose concrete measures to "liberalize trade and strengthen Canada's economy."
Note
1. Though known as "First Ministers' conferences" only since the 1960s, they ultimately trace their origin to the initial constitutional convention held in the mid-1860s at Charlottetown, PEI then-capital of the British Province of Prince Edward Island. After confederation, two conferences of provincial premiers were held, in 1887 and 1902, in which the federal government was not represented.
Altogether, 76 First Ministers' conferences have been held since the first was convened by Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier in 1906, at the request of the provinces. Some important First Ministers' conferences were those leading up to the Meech Lake and Charlottetown Accords. The failed Charlottetown Accord contained a provision that would have made annual First Ministers' conferences obligatory.
The conferences are important for a number of reasons. A sizable portion of provincial funding (referred to as transfer payments) comes from the federal government, the conferences are an opportunity for the premiers to lobby for more money. Today it is common for the Premiers to meet beforehand to present a common front to the federal government. They are also important in that Canada's federal system leaves a fair amount of overlap between federal and provincial jurisdictions and most large initiatives require some provincial support.
The vast majority of the activity at a First Ministers' conference takes place behind closed doors. A public statement is issued after the conference.
Formerly, the government leaders of the territories were only occasionally invited to these conferences, depending on whether issues especially relevant to the north are being discussed. Today, these leaders normally attend the meetings. The national chief of the Assembly of First Nations may also be invited to attend when issues especially relevant to First Nations communities are on the agenda; the group has lobbied for greater inclusion.
(Wikipedia)
Council of the Federation
The Council of the Federation comprises all 13 provincial and territorial Premiers. Its aim is to enable Premiers "to work collaboratively, form closer ties, foster constructive relationships among governments, and show leadership on important issues that matter to Canadians." It meets twice a year. Its current chair is Ontario Premier Doug Ford.
On January 6, on behalf of the Council, Doug Ford sent the Prime Minister a letter which reads:
"Canada's Premiers met in Toronto on December 16, 2024, to discuss issues of importance to Canadians, including Canada-U.S. relations, energy security, and health care. We reaffirmed our support for working with the federal government on trade, border security, and Arctic security and sovereignty, including presenting a united front against the U.S. President-elect's stated intent to impose tariffs on imports from Canada.
"During our meeting, Premiers agreed to support appropriate action by the federal government in response to any U.S. tariffs, while reiterating that the priority must be to take action to avoid such tariffs. We also stressed that the imposition of tariffs on Canadian imports would be detrimental to both Canadians and Americans. Provinces and territories must be active participants in the design of Canada's response to any tariffs and have a significant role in the upcoming CUSMA review. Premiers also agreed that the federal government must take a proactive approach to secure our borders for Canadians.
"It has never been more important that Canada demonstrate stability, strength, and unity. On behalf of Canada's Premiers, I am requesting regular engagement with First Ministers to support a united Team Canada approach to U.S. relations – beginning with an in-person First Ministers' meeting the week of January 13. This approach will ensure we can act quickly and be coordinated in our approach, especially in light of the developing situation with your government, as the new U.S. administration takes office."
On January 10, the Council of the Federation issued an announcement which reads:
"Ontario Premier Doug Ford, as Chair of the Council of the Federation, will lead a joint mission of Canada's Premiers to Washington, D.C. on February 12, 2025.
"Premiers will meet with key members of the new Administration, Congress and business leaders to advocate for maintaining strong Canada-U.S. relations by addressing shared issues such as jobs and the economy, energy, critical mineral supply chains, border security and immigration.
"The U.S. sells more goods and services to Canada than it sells to China, Japan, and Germany combined. Our economic partnership is worth more than a trillion dollars annually and supports millions of jobs on both sides of the border.
"'Americans and Canadians are like family. We've been allies for generations,' said Premier Doug Ford, Chair of the Council of the Federation. 'By working together, the U.S. and Canada have an enormous opportunity to grow our economies and bring good jobs back home on both sides of the border. Now more than ever, Canada's Premiers are best positioned to carry this message and work alongside U.S. lawmakers and business leaders.'"
"In addition to the joint mission on February 12, some Premiers will also travel to Washington during the annual meeting of the National Governors Association on February 20-22." [...]
The Council of the Federation met virtually on January 15. (For the report from the Prime Ministers' Office, click here.)
The council met again on January 22 (for the report from the Prime Ministers' Office (PMO), click here) and January 29 (for the PMO report, click here.)
Letters to the Editor
Trump's Tariffs -- Primarily a Political Problem
The TML article by Pauline Easton titled "Existential Dilemma of Canada's Elites: United They Fail; Divided They Fall," pointed out: "While the repercussions of Donald Trump's threats appear to be economic, in fact the fundamental problem is political. Canadians and Quebeckers are saddled with old forms of representation which vest the sovereign decision-making authority in a person-of-state which does not answer to the people in any way, shape or form."
Against the backdrop of the Canadian Parliament prorogued until the third week of March, the Liberal Party is holding its leadership race which, combined with the psychodrama of tariffs, is placing the Liberal Party, which was in free fall, in the spotlight, in what is clearly taking on the appearance of an all-out election campaign. This is evidenced by the most recent statement by the darling of the Liberal elite, Mark Carney, former Governor of the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England, no less and, until announcing his bid for the leadership of the Liberal Party and to be Prime Minister of Canada, Chairman of Brookfield Asset Management and head of its transition investing. Carney announced that the Liberal Party would cut the carbon tax which is seen to be intended, among other things, to pull the rug out from under the Conservative leader, who has made it his main hobby horse.
Meanwhile, on the Quebec talk show Tout le monde en parle on February 2, two of the guests were the Minister of Global Affairs, Mélanie Joly, and the Minister of Industry, François-Philippe Champagne. Referring to Pierre Poilievre's demand that Parliament be recalled to deal with Trump's threats, the host asked, among other things, whether it was necessary to recall Parliament.
"No!" replied the two guests, in unison. Joly said that the government had done everything necessary to make decisions. "The meetings with the provincial premiers have taken place," she said. "The tariffs have been announced, the response has been made," she added.
The host insisted on asking if it would not be the democratic thing to do, to recall Parliament in due form in the presence of the Official opposition. Joly responded that there had been meetings with the Opposition leaders, and that they had also told Poilievre that it was time to be part of Team Canada, it was time to be united, because there are jobs at stake, Canadian sovereignty is at stake and we must "rise above partisan politics."
During the interview, both guests tirelessly repeated that the United States and Canada were the best of "neighbours, friends, and allies." Interestingly, the title of a February 2021 White House statement announcing the creation of the Roadmap for a Renewed U.S.-Canada Partnership is: "The United States and Canada: Neighbors, Friends, and Allies." Its aim was said to be to strengthen economic ties -– such as agreements on critical minerals, trade corridors, and such -- as well as defence cooperation, including strengthening NATO and NORAD, cooperation in the Arctic, and promoting "democracy, peace and security in the world."
Meanwhile, a group organized by NDP MP Charlie Angus and others, known as "Pledge for Canada," says that people of different political stripes support their initiative, because it is about defending Canada's sovereignty, defending "our democracy," and that it is a cause "above partisan politics." The "Pledge for Canada," which does not raise the need for Canadians to be the ones setting the direction for the economy and taking political decisions by renewing the system of representation, does not even begin to mount a worthy response to what Trump is up to and merely conciliates with the Trudeau government's attempts to placate him by feeding him precisely what he likes to eat.
All of it underscores the point made in Pauline's article that the fundamental problem facing Canadians is political, not economic.
A Reader in the Outaouais
What Kind of Racket Is the Government of
Canada Running This
Time?
The press release issued by Canada's Department of Finance after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on a series of goods entering the United States from Canada announces a series of counter-tariffs Canada has decided to impose on certain goods entering Canada from the United States. Besides other things, it says: "As a first line of defence, Canada's robust system of economic support programs is available to help businesses and workers directly impacted by U.S. tariffs. This includes financing and advisory supports for businesses through financial Crown corporations and supports for workers through the Employment Insurance program. As we redouble our efforts to improve Canada's investment, productivity and competitiveness in collaboration with provinces, territories and the business community, the government will proactively monitor impacts across sectors and the economy, and will bring forward additional measures to support workers and businesses as needed."
What these will be is anyone's guess but based on previous experience of how the government said it would do that, and did that, during the COVID pandemic, workers could be excused for being wary and taking every precaution before believing the government is going to protect them. Many are still subject to demands from Revenue Canada to pay back monies they qualified for, according to the government's own criteria, during the COVID pandemic. It is an ongoing nightmare!
During the pandemic, every Canadian and small business had to fend for themselves to figure out what the government claimed they were entitled to and what they were not entitled to. The government paid an army of accountants who seem to have made a wide assortment of mistakes, which individual Canadians have had to pay for. It borrowed oodles of money from private banks for which Canadians will pay interest for the rest of their lives. Certain strata made themselves very rich during COVID while far too many Canadians died and many people are still getting threatening letters from the government demanding they pay back funds they are told they were not entitled to. Not surprisingly, the suggestion of the government is that it was scammed by Canadians who were, in fact, scammed by the government!
Who will benefit from the tariffs the U.S. and Canada are imposing is a legitimate question on the minds of many. Canadians have come to expect the government to turn every crisis into an opportunity to run another racket. The Latin phrase cui bono translates to "who benefits" or "to whom is it a benefit." It is used to identify who stands to gain from an action or event, and is often used in criminal investigations.
A reader in Quebec
First Ministers Are Unfit to Rule
Canadians have had it with the response of the ruling elite and the First Ministers who have shown themselves to be anything but true to the aspirations of the people of Canada and Quebec. The example of Danielle Smith shows not just utter subservience, but the eagerness to serve the aims of the U.S. war machine. We should buy more food from the U.S. and other products, she said. We should sell more oil. Oil from Alberta is a great deal for the U.S., she said, because Canada sells it cheaply, increasing the profit margins for U.S. refiners.
"We think we can be the solution to not only American energy
affordability, but also American energy dominance," she said. In a
world where oil production already exceeds demand, and with a climate crisis
facing humankind, Smith is asserting that Canada's role is to assist
Trump to escalate brutal
sanctions, continue to seize or lay waste to the oil and gas resources
which belong to the peoples of country after country, and maintain their
dictate and dominance. It is a warmongering response, and a futile one at
that as the people of the world are engaged in developing new trade
relations of mutual
benefit, and it is the polar opposite of the demand of Canadians to Make Canada a Zone for Peace.
Such is the "vision" of those who demonstrate that they are unfit to rule, and it shows that now more than ever, it is up to the people to organize for a new direction for the economy based on self reliance and trade for mutual benefit and the renewal of the democracy necessary to bring about that new direction and to make Canada a factor for peace, not imperialist war.
A reader in Edmonton
(To access articles individually click on the black headline.)
Website: www.cpcml.ca • Email: editor@cpcml.ca