Old friends?
March 12, 2025
Another in a series of observations of life as I know it.
O Canada! Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.
With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!
From far and wide, O Canada,
We stand on guard for thee.
God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
-The National Anthem of Canada
~~~~~
To tariff. Or not to tariff. That is the question. Slings, arrows, and outrageous fortune? Spare me.
So it’s Wednesday. Depending on the time of day, we are either doubling the tariffs on Canada. Or we’re not. The president is playing a global economic game of Russian roulette. A version of Dr Dolittle’s push-me-pull-you with disastrous consequences. Canada shot back quickly, threatening to withdraw electric power from Michigan and New York. Oops. That hit a nerve. Tariffs? What tariffs?
So we have lived peacefully as Canada’s neighbor for two and a half centuries. We speak a form of the same language. Our sports teams routinely cross back and forth over our shared border. Canada is a non-combatant. It is Sweden. A neutral. A noble entity that has never given us a moment’s pause. A friend. Which prompts me to ask, what has Canada done to cause us to abandon our relationship? You couldn’t ask for a more stalwart comrade. Canada has always been there for us. We’ve been international BFFs. Sisters. Family. So why the instant animus?
As stated, Canada is and has always been our truest ally. When the fractious French or an unruly UK acts up, we can always depend on Canada. Fentanyl production is the purported animating reason for this border fracas. It’s a straw man fallacy. About 81 pounds or a large suitcase full of that drug made it into the US. That’s it! More Molson’s Ale makes it over the border! And yet. Truckloads of fentanyl come from Mexico. Huh? Let’s face it. No self-respecting Canadian wants to cross the border into Michigan and take up arms against us. Prior to this presidency, our Maple Leaf cousins were placid. Forward thinking. Kind. Now? Not so much. The country to the north has found an attitude. Still subjects of King Charles III, Canadians are definitely not feeling the same jolly, hands across the Pond joie de vivre as we have with Great Britain. At least for the moment. An orange idiot clumsily spilled our communal tea.
O Canada! I am sorry the Musk alliance is testing our long held trust and affection. Who doesn’t like Canada? Clearly that is rhetorical, but you catch my drift. Together we are North America. A great landmass of humanity. Which I hasten to add, does not make you the 51st state. And, god willing, never will.
