Carney's 'Elbows Up' to Trump Becomes Sucking Up

Does Prime Minister Mark Carney doubt the resolve of Canadians? It is one conclusion that can be drawn from the apparent softening of the Carney government’s stance towards the Americans, and Donald Trump in particular.

In hindsight, an overshadowed statement from the election stands out. Amidst repeated Liberal party references to “Canada Strong” and Carney’s solemn declaration that “the old relationship we had with the United States, based on deepening integration of our economies and tight security and military co-operation, is over” was a pledge by the prime minister following a phone call with President Trump. Carney promised to “begin comprehensive negotiations about a new economic and security relationship immediately following the election.”

From public reports to date, there is little to suggest that such negotiations involve a decoupling of the relationship. In fact, it’s been quite the opposite.

Consider that in the two short months since Canadians elected the Liberal party to a near-majority government due to their leader’s robust pledge to “stand up to Trump,” Carney has travelled to Washington to meet with the U.S. president and publicly declared him a “transformational leader.” Carney has also declined to equivalently retaliate against recent U.S. tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum, engaged in secret talks with Trump via phone calls and text messages, and reportedly agreed to reverse decades of federal policy and join Trump’s $500-billion missile defence scheme.

Earlier this month, Carney’s Liberals introduced sweeping border legislation that the government says addresses “irritants for the U.S.” but that critics argue will have “drastic and harmful consequences” and “erodes refugee rights and will make many in Canada less safe.”

Another alarming development is a since-deleted Economist article which claimed that in the negotiated outlines of a new trade and security deal, “the United States would be guaranteed first right of refusal on Canadian resources.” That claim does not seem to have been publicly denounced by the government.

Then there is the Carney government’s approach to policies and politics, some of which have a troubling resemblance to the Trump administration. That includes the prioritization of artificial intelligence’s potential economic benefits over public regulation and the treatment of migrant rights and privacy protections in Bill C-2, the Strong Borders Act.

Then there is the weakening of environmental safeguards and unprecedented granting of executive powers via “Henry VIII clauses” in Bill C-5, the One Canadian Economy Act. Notably, Bill C-5 is being rushed through Parliament with little consultation, including with Indigenous Peoples.

Cosying up to a crocodile

Deliberately so or not, it appears Prime Minister Carney is being pulled into President Trump’s orbit, dragging our country in along with him.

Under no circumstances is this a place Canada should be.

The United States under Trump is rapidly devolving into an authoritarian state. Masked federal agents are kidnapping residents and citizens alike and disappearing them to offshore prisons.

Opposition politicians are threatened, forcibly detained and arrested. Political violence is on the rise, as shown by the brazen shootings of two Democratic Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses on June 14.

The marines and National Guard are deployed to cities without their consent. Court orders are ignored. Civil society leaders, journalists, scientists and academics are demonized by members of the government and their allies. Public programs are being decimated while the president enriches himself, his family and his cronies at citizens’ expense.

On top of all of this, Trump and members of his government continue to threaten the sovereignty of our country.

For Canada, the United States is no longer a trustworthy ally, a reliable trading partner or a valued friend.

Yet still, the Carney Liberals aggressively, almost single-mindedly, pursue a deal with Trump. “The prosperity of the country is at risk,” warns the government’s energy and natural resources minister, former oil company board member and Goldman Sachs CEO Tim Hodgson.

That messaging on the imperative of making a deal with the United States is buttressed by business leaders. Yet there is a long history of such voices — a constituency whom the public intellectual John Ralston Saul has described as “Washington obsessed,” ineffectual elites — being deferential to U.S. political positions for the sake of trade.

Changing the script

There is an even longer history of citizens being conditioned by governments to accept weaker rights and freedoms in the face of economic crises.

Compounding these concerns are not only the examples of Bills C-2 and C-5 but a notable shift in recent weeks in the public discourse on confronting and mitigating the various U.S. threats.

Absent are previous government appeals to unity and burden sharing, statements of resolve to stand up to bullying, and pledges to protect the most vulnerable. In its place is more conciliatory language, appeals to economic realism, and old-fashioned political spin from allies of the prime minister.

Veteran political insider and early Carney supporter Bruce Anderson, for example, recently wrote a commentary questioning public opposition to Canada joining Trump’s missile defence plan. “On the evidence available to date,” Anderson wrote, “Canadians are ready to spend more on defence, and want to strengthen our security and economic partnership with the U.S. (and others).”

Do we though?

Beyond the “buy Canadian” grassroots movement and the pugilistic bravado of “elbows up,” Canadians responded most directly to the Trump threat by rallying behind a commitment to a set of values believed to set us apart from the United States, and its present leadership in particular. This was the story of April’s federal election.

There is no credible evidence suggesting Canadians are willing to sacrifice on these values.

Meanwhile, the latest public polling indicates Canadians’ impressions of the United States and Trump remain extremely negative, while Statistics Canada reveals travel to the United States continues its massive decline.

In addition, new polling on Canadian attitudes toward trade and security issues with the United States found that “70 per cent of Canadians support imposing tariffs on U.S. goods even if it means higher prices for domestic consumers.” The polling also found there is strong opposition to Canada joining the U.S. missile defence scheme. On artificial intelligence, Canadians express overwhelming demand for regulation.

No one doubts the economic risks posed by Trump’s tariffs. But continuing, let alone deepening, economic and security ties with a declining power and diminishing democracy carries risks too.

The courage to say no

At the G7 summit, news broke that Canada and the United States had committed to reach a trade deal within 30 days. Seeing how Trump violated the existing Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement and that his ambassador to Canada has already stated that tariffs are “here to stay” regardless of any new agreement, there is little reason for optimism.

Owing to his past experience and recent election performance, Canadians have given Prime Minister Carney a lot of latitude on managing Trump and his trade war. The ultimate objective, however, remains the same: preserving a sovereign Canada that pursues a path distinct from the United States.

The task, then, is not to complete an agreement with an unruly and unpredictable U.S. president who loves making deals but not abiding by them. The job is to defend the Canadian way and dignify the sacrifices citizens are willing to make as part of that defence.

In other words, Carney and his government need to remember why they were elected, and not for a moment doubt the resolve of Canadians. 

Christopher Holcroft is a writer and principal of Empower Consulting. Reach him by email.