Summary
In a virtual speech at the World Economic Forum, Trump suggested Canada could become a U.S. state to avoid his proposed tariffs on imports.
The remark elicited gasps from the audience.
Trump claimed the U.S. does not need Canadian lumber, energy, or vehicles, vastly overstating the trade deficit between the two nations.
He reiterated his intention to impose tariffs, potentially as high as 25%, on imports from Canada and Mexico starting February 1.
Economists warn such tariffs would raise prices for U.S. consumers.
I still don’t think he realizes the tariffs he keeps threatening us with hurt his people way more…
By “his people,” you mean most voters, yeah.
But for high millionaires/billionaires, this is effectively a regressive tax that will benefit them.
The Canada, Mexico, California, Washington Oregon States.
Putin’s Sock Puppet taking orders from Moscow to divide the NATO members. For starters, the Canadians should stop buying US made weapons, because the current US leadership is unhinged and unreliable. If anything, the Blue States should become Canadian Provinces.
Did someone brainwash this dude to annex other countries or something? Its like he wants to leave a legacy behind of being the first president in the modern age to expand America.
He’s an agent provocateur hired by the Russkis whether he knows it or not.
The best puppet. Nobody takes a hand up the butt like me.
Well, his idol annexed and invaded other countries, so obviously he should too!
“Surrender to my imperialism or I’m going to ruin your economy”
“Surrender to my imperialism or I’m going to ruin
yourmy economy”
We must strengthen NATO’s defences against the aggressive USA and significantly improve border defences, lest they catch us with our pants down when the time comes.
No, says Canada.
“Go fuck yourself” says Canada.
Just like our Danish friends recently told Trump.
“could” raise prices for americans?
Media is complicit.
I’ve written to seven senators asking them to make an amendment to the relevant legislation to call it the “Trump inflation explosion act 2025”. Not really, but that’s what this is.
Being pedantic but generally table in American legislative use means to kill or remove from the floor indefinitely. You are using the British parlimentary use of table which could confuse legislators
Thanks. I’ve edited it.
Do Americans not have the phrase “everything’s on the table”? Or to “shelf something”?
I would welcome fifty new Congressional districts, the overwhelming majority of which would vote Blue within an American political framework.
Yeah you don’t know much about Canada, I guess. roughly half would vote democrat, roughly half republican, varying by 5, 10 percent up and down each individual election same as you see every election down south. The Conservatives form government for 8-10 years every 8-10 years federally.
Your guess is incorrect. The Overton window in Canada is quite a bit to the left of where it is in the US.
Bernie would be considered a centrist in Canada.
I wouldn’t call Bernie a “canadian centrist” since he aligns with what the NPD want to be, social democrats (left). Otherwise yeah, the american democrats pretty much aligns with Canadian conservatives.
It’s not a guess, you’re functioning on strereotypes. Joe Biden is roughly a centrist if he was in Canadian politics.
You know, I’d never thought of it this way. If Canadians were willing, I’d whole heartedly welcome them!
No way, we’re caustic, we’ll ruin them! Stay away!!
I might have to come join you all.
How does this lower the price of my god damn eggs?
Also he does know that Canada would be yet another blue state right?
Tariffs raise prices. That’s kinda their thing.
Each province/territory would insist on being its own state so Canada would at least probably become 10 blue states and 3 red states if not 11/2. Not sure how Manitoba would swing.
Not sure how Manitoba would swing.
Given that our current government is NDP after a disastrous period of the previous conservative government, I would expect Manitoba would generally vote to the left of most states.
So much political theater and me without my opera glasses
Cutting off trade with Canada would devastate the US economy overnight
Since we are talking fantasies: Any US state the joins Canada avoids tariffs.
Why isn’t Canada summoning the US ambassador to demand official explanations?
The Canadian prime Minister went and spoke directly to Trump.
And Trump laughed him off.
And how do you know the ambassador hasn’t already had those meetings?
Canadian officials have been in communication with American governers, senators, congressmen and even mayors to discuss the situation and what sort of response they might expect.
A big part of the problem is that Trump doesn’t listen to the advice of anyone once he gets some stupid idea stuck in his head.
But it’s all shit talking and “jokes”. Summoning the ambassador, the Canadian government as an institution can officially demand an official response from the US government as an institution. Sovereign state to sovereign state. This is serious business not a social media exchange.
It would basically demand the US government to produce its formal demands of Canada. Anything else should be ignored as farts and white noise.
The situation is embarrassing enough. No need to bring shame to the ambassador that most likely heard about it from some news outlet too.
They don’t need explanation or translation for “he dumb and doesn’t understand money outside of wanting more”.
I’m going to keep posting this every time I see a reference to US tariffs against Canada.
https://pluralistic.net/2025/01/15/beauty-eh/
The TL;DR is that tariffs would violate the NAFTA / USMCA treaty in which Canada agreed to respect US copyright law in exchange for free trade. No free trade? Canada doesn’t need to respect US copyright any longer and can become a flourishing economy of products to compete with US products that are massively overpriced. Think printer ink and other stuff.
The TL;DR is that tariffs would violate the NAFTA / USMCA treat
The treaty that Trump himself negotiated and agreed to.
That’s the treaty he is calling a “bad deal” and threatening to violate.
YES! Thanks for the reminder!
Trump just amended the USMCA on January 17 (takes effect on March 18, 2025)…
Yes, please, Canadian produced pharmaceuticals + 15% tariff = an order of magnitude cheaper than what we can buy in the States.
That’s why buying drugs across the border is specifically illegal. Can’t have us buying our medicine at a fair value.
Sweet. Host all pirate sites in Canada.
Not pirated, works no longer covered by copyright in Canada.
Idk if it’s just for individuals, but our ISPs generally don’t care about pirating already. I use a VPN to pirate here but just set to another city in Canada. I only even do that because I run jellyfin and have terabytes of downloads a month.
Worst case scenario is the ISP sends you a notice that the media companies are mad, but that’s the end of it. They won’t pursue anything further because they don’t care
It’s not illegal to download something, it’s illegal to host something (seeding)
ISPs are compelled to notify you of copyright notices but they can’t hand your information over so you can only get caught if you respond
And even if you are dumb enough to respond to one of those emails, the liability is limited to something $50 per title. So it’s not worth the money to pay a lawyer to go after anyone. They will however try to trick you into a private settlement.
No no no, you must charge every user with willful commercial infringement and penalize them $250,000 per violation. It is the American way!
I was thinking to host pirate sites of US movies, software, etc. Get the US companies to tell the orange buffoon to behave or better yet, move the companies to Canada.
I really like the article’s reference to manufacturing US DMCA-breaking technologies and forcing devices to host app stores in Canada where the government can declare the 30% Apple tax illegal.
That’s amazing. He’s going to absolutely tank the US economy in his first financial quarter of his term.
I bet he’ll end up sprinkling in a handful of very specific exemptions. These are what we need to slap export taxes on. Doesn’t need to be much, but match his 25%. At best it’ll hammer them where they need it, at worst it’ll keep things fair for all our exporters.
