Canada-U.S. Relations
For a Modern Definition of the National Interest
As
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tries to secure his legacy in the
last
days of his ministry, his government's response to the threats
of U.S.
President Donald Trump to impose tariffs is, in one way or
another,
presented as defence of Canada's "national interest," "economic
security" or "national security." The facts show that this is
not the
case. The proposed schemes benefit narrow supranational
interests which
are clashing in the United States and, by extension, in Canada.
An important aim is to disinform public opinion by
destroying the norms and standards the polity has used in the
past as a
measure to exercise judgement. This is one of the significant
matters
of concern facing the Canadian polity. It is devastating to the
coherence of the body politic which is left rudderless, without
orientation or direction. A polity requires publicly recognized
standards and norms the people can count on to make judgements
about
the matters at hand. When definitions and regulations are given
on a
whim, secretly at the behest of narrow private forces which
operate
behind the scenes, the entire polity is left out of the
discourse.
In the case of the Trudeau government's response to Trump's threats, they are all reactive. Consultations are limited to selected experts and those called stakeholders, whether from academia, think-tanks, business, media, labour and the like, who make up the Prime Minister's Council on Canada-U.S. Relations. Not only does the process leave the cartel parties which form "His Majesty's Loyal Opposition" in the Parliament out of the equation but, most importantly, the people and their concerns are left out of the discourse and decision-making. The opinions of the members of the polity are often silenced by subjecting them to polls which ask tendentious questions or when they are reduced to filling out surveys which only ask them to state their preferences between pre-selected choices.
This is very destructive to the cohesion of the body politic which tends to "drop out" for lack of an alternative of its own. The fact that the regulations, rules and arrangements feed the integration of the Canadian economy into the U.S. war machine makes the consequences of the U.S. President's striving to break all barriers to his ability to act with impunity very dangerous. Trump's striving is to impose even a military dictatorship if that is what it takes to make the U.S. the world's so-called indispensable nation which controls everything everywhere.
The response of
the government of Canada and of various
provinces
reveals an embarrassing and humiliating picture of ministers and
politicians who ask "How high?" when the U.S. administration
commands
them to jump. The most absurd is that these ministers and
politicians
say this is how to defend Canada's security and national
interest.
The Trudeau government, claiming it is waiting to see what Trump will decide on March 4, has said that should the Trump administration proceed to impose tariffs, it will respond with 25 per cent tariffs against $155 billion of U.S. goods entering Canada. All the wheeling and dealing is done behind the backs of the people but what has been brought to light reveals a wretched sellout government in contempt of the right of Canadians to self-determination. The people want rule of law and the rights of the people to be upheld.
This is not what is happening. Following the convening of the First Ministers on January 15 to deal with Trump's tariff threat, a joint statement declared that “Canada is a proud and sovereign nation, committed to upholding its values and responsibilities on the global stage." Since then "upholding Canadian values" has been repeatedly invoked in speaking to U.S.-Canada relations as if Canada is made up of random individuals with random "Canadian values," informed by racism and social chauvinism and imbued with the spirit of the ruling elites.
Canada is a country made up of people from the four corners of the world as well as the nation of Quebec, the Indigenous nations, Inuit and Métis. The claims of the working class on society based on its role as the producer of all wealth, and of the people without whom Canada would not exist, are denied by the ruling circles and those with privileges who serve them within the cartel party system.
For
Canadians, for Canada to have an international reputation in
which they
can take pride would require that the government stop paying the
rich,
including privatization, and increase investments in social
programs as
a first priority. Investments must improve the lives of the
people,
meet their needs and claims on society and the demands of the
natural
environment. Trade must be carried out on the basis of mutual
benefit
with trading partners. Canada must be a Zone for Peace. It must
uphold
international rule of law and actively oppose impunity,
neo-colonial
rule, occupation, apartheid and genocide. A modern Canada must
take
measures to establish a constitution that does not vest
sovereignty in
narrow private interests and a foreign monarchy.
An international reputation based on the sycophancy, fawning and obsequious behaviour displayed by federal government ministers, provincial premiers, leaders of the cartel political parties and their retinues is only admired by birds of a feather.
Social cohesion is forged by all those who fight for the recognition of the claims they are within their rights to make and achieve. It is not achieved by imposing the dictates of narrow private supranational interests and integrating Canada into the U.S. war machine. To lay claims on society for what belongs to the people by right, and to work out together how to provide these rights with a guarantee is what provides a people with dignity, pride and a way forward.
This article was published in
Volume 55
Number 2 - February 2025
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/Tmlm2025/Articles/M550021.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca Email: editor@cpcml.ca