Opinion. The views expressed are the author’s own.
Why is the United States using tariffs as a weapon in its diplomatic and financial arsenal? Why has Canada come under such sustained pressure from President Donald Trump and the Republican Party? And who stands to gain from it?
Start with American competitors. A weakened industrial heartland and a divided energy sector are easier and cheaper to buy. American investors looking for land and resources also benefit from a depressed Canadian economy, because a downturn lowers the price of everything they might want to acquire.
But the gains may not stop at the border. Some Canadians could benefit from this trade war too, including some corporations and, potentially, a political party.
Consider the Conservative Party of Canada and its leader, Pierre Poilievre. Polls have repeatedly shown that many Canadians are open to conservative ideas but are wary of Poilievre himself. That is a problem for his party. In my view, it is also a problem for powerful interests in the United States that would like easier access to Canada’s natural resources and would welcome a government in Ottawa more aligned with Washington.
Here is how a trade war could help change Canada’s politics. In the coming months, Canada may face rising unemployment, heavy demand on social services, and money and talent leaving the country. Tariffs could push up energy and food costs while making homes harder to afford. Prime Minister Mark Carney remains well liked by many Canadians, but a deep enough downturn could make any alternative look attractive to voters looking for change.
I am not claiming that anyone has broken the law, and I have no evidence of any arrangement between the Conservative Party and American interests. I am asking a question: why has Canada become such a singular target for this administration, and who in Canada might welcome the political fallout? Canadians deserve to know whether foreign governments or corporations are trying to shape our elections, and our security agencies and Parliament already have the tools to look for foreign interference wherever it comes from.
Ask yourselves what our former ally wants from us, and what it hopes to achieve by pressuring Canadians financially, politically and socially.
Lord Acton warned that “power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Every party seeking to govern Canada should be asked plainly whether it would put Canadian democracy ahead of political power, even when that power is on offer from outside our borders.
Steven Kaszab lives in Bradford, Ont.
