Canada’s diplomats in the United States have a recurring fear: that our country might become ensnared in America’s bitter partisan wars.
Take oil pipelines as an example: Democrats win power and cancel a project, Republicans get back power and reverse the policy, Democrats replace them, and on and on it goes, ad infinitum. It’s what happened with Keystone XL.
Now, imagine the entire national government of Canada becoming an object of polarization, disdained and detested by one-half of the major political parties in the United States.
We need not imagine it anymore: A swath of the American public now bubbles with enmity toward Canada’s prime minister and delights in mockery.
Justin Trudeau is now a beloved punching bag on Fox News, and Republican politicians have taken their swings — with an unforeseen plot twist being that the political party of former president Donald Trump now accuses Canada of authoritarianism.
A former diplomat who worked in Barack Obama’s White House said it’s not so much that Americans care about happenings in Canada; it’s that they find Canada a useful talking point.
Vaccine mandates. Cancel culture. Protest crackdowns. All are central issues in America’s domestic debates. And in the court of public opinion this week, Canada was Exhibit A.
A scene from the protest in Ottawa on Thursday. American opinion is divided on these protests, like so much else. It falls along partisan lines. (Lars Hagberg/Reuters)
Former White House official Brett Bruen said he wouldn’t be surprised to see Trudeau appearing in Republican election ads this year, as the party campaigns on easing COVID-19 restrictions.
“He’s been dragged into a really dirty fight here in the U.S.,” said Bruen, who worked for the White House on diplomatic branding.
“In many ways, [Trudeau has] become the poster child for political leaders trying to impose public health measures on their citizens.”
Republicans see these issues as a winner
The context is Republicans feeling growing optimism that loosening restrictions is a political winner — a club to pound Democrats with in this year’s midterms.
With perfect timing, in rolled the convoys. The three-week-long protests against vaccine mandates and COVID-19 restrictions got hours of coverage on conservative cable news and prompted talk of copycat convoys to Washington to protest President Joe Biden.
When Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act, the same cable shows pivoted to another favourite storyline, cancel culture — and again, Trudeau was the villain.
WATCH | Ottawa protests front and centre in U.S. culture wars:
Ottawa protests front and centre in U.S. culture wars
10 days ago
Duration 1:59
Anti-COVID-19 restriction protests in Ottawa are front and centre of the U.S. culture wars, with right-wing media and politicians voicing their support. The response has helped a new online fundraiser raise millions of dollars in a few days. 1:59
They argued that this was worse than Trump’s allegedly authoritarian response to Black Lives Matter protests in 2020. Never mind his attempt to undo the 2020 election.
One conservative writer, Rich Lowry, argued that one thing Republicans love about this story is it unites all the factions of their fractious party — from the small-government ideological establishment to the elite-disdaining Trumpian populists who can all find something to loathe in Ottawa.
So what does the actual American public, as a whole, think of Canada’s convoy protest against COVID-19 measures?
What American opinion says about Canada’s convoy
Well, it’s polarized, of course. According to a new poll, it’s not perfectly split down the middle, but close to it, in the valley of public opinion where so many American debates go to die.
An Economist/YouGov poll of 1,500 Americans from Feb. 12 to 15 found that nearly 80 per cent of Americans had heard of the convoys, which, again, is an extraordinary number for a Canadian news event.
Respondents were asked about truck drivers protesting vaccine mandates — and in the process blocking traffic, including on a vital trade artery.
Forty per cent replied that they supported such protests, and 44 per cent opposed them. That included 71 per cent support among Republicans and 18 per cent among Democrats.
The Democratic administration of President Joe Biden has remained discreet. It’s said almost nothing about Trudeau’s use of the Emergencies Act. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)
Do Americans support or oppose requiring COVID-19 vaccination for truck drivers to cross the border? Forty-six per cent said yes, 38 no.
When protesters block public access to roadways, should law enforcement use force to remove them? Here there was a bigger gap: 43 per cent said yes, 28 per cent said no.
But really, when it comes to which side of the U.S. political spectrum revelled in this event, it was no contest: While the Democrats and the White House said almost nothing about Trudeau invoking the Emergencies Act, the Republican ecosystem sprouted thickets of indignation.
Fox News’s top-rated host, Tucker Carlson, ran a segment headlined: “Trudeau has declared Canada a dictatorship.” A segment on the same network on Friday began with the host saying: “Canadian dictator Justin Trudeau …”
‘Dictator,’ ‘ass,’ ‘Mooselini’
Sen. Marsha Blackburn accused Trudeau of abusing his power. Sen. John Kennedy appeared to refer to the prime minister as an ass. The notorious firebrand, Marjorie Taylor Greene, called him a dictator, too.
Donald Trump Jr. tweeted a reference to the prime minister as “Mooselini.” A Trump ally compared the Canadian prime minister, unfavourably, to Vladimir Putin.
Senator Kennedy: I would gently say to the Prime Minister, if you’re going to be a smart ass, first you have to be smart otherwise you’re just an ass <a href=”https://t.co/Q1OAt24LcQ”>pic.twitter.com/Q1OAt24LcQ</a>
It wasn’t just Americans criticizing the prime minister.
El Salvador’s president, accused regularly of autocratic tendencies himself, seized on the news from Canada, tweeting: “Are these the people who like to give lessons to other countries about democracy and freedom? … Your credibility on these topics is now worth 0.”
But this convoy issue hits close to home in the U.S. Americans donated about half of all the money sent to the convoy organizers, according to leaked data from GiveSendGo.
And similar protests are planned in the U.S.
In one Fox News show, Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte called what’s happening in Canada frightening to people who love freedom. But when asked what he’d say if these convoys spread across the U.S., he offered some nuance.
“I support the ones doing that peacefully and not blocking transportation,” he said.
A former high-level Canadian diplomat, asked Friday about recent events, expressed little concern about the longer-term implications for Canada-U.S. relations.
He conceded that Trudeau dealing with Republicans could get awkward — and it could get more awkward if Republicans regain Congress later this year.
The top-rated shows on U.S. conservative network Fox News refer to Canada as a dictatorship. (Shannon Stapleton/Reuters)
But he said the longer-term bilateral challenges remain: modernizing defence co-operation, energy disputes, trade.
In America’s partisan carnival, Trudeau won’t be a permanent display. The culture war always finds new clickbait. And it showed signs of happening on Friday.
Tucker Carlson planned to lead his show with Trudeau’s protest crackdown, which he called the most egregious human-rights violations by a Western government in memory and the end of Canadian democracy.
But he paused. He then announced he’d gotten his hands on a flattering biography of progressive congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and he had someone read excerpts in a British accent to mock it.
Another Fox News show this week featured Tammy Giuliani, the weeping owner of an Ottawa gelato shop who received verbal abuse for donating to the convoy.
The host, Jesse Watters, completed the segment by saying: “Tammy for prime minister of Canada. Next: Hunter Biden, haunted by a stripper.”
OTTAWA – Statistics Canada says wholesale sales, excluding petroleum, petroleum products, and other hydrocarbons and excluding oilseed and grain, rose 0.4 per cent to $82.7 billion in July.
The increase came as sales in the miscellaneous subsector gained three per cent to reach $10.5 billion in July, helped by strength in the agriculture supplies industry group, which rose 9.2 per cent.
The food, beverage and tobacco subsector added 1.7 per cent to total $15 billion in July.
The personal and household goods subsector fell 2.5 per cent to $12.1 billion.
In volume terms, overall wholesale sales rose 0.5 per cent in July.
Statistics Canada started including oilseed and grain as well as the petroleum and petroleum products subsector as part of wholesale trade last year, but is excluding the data from monthly analysis until there is enough historical data.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa sustained a concussion for the third time in his NFL career, leaving his team’s game Thursday night against Buffalo after running into defensive back Damar Hamlin and hitting the back of his head against the turf.
Tagovailoa remained down for about two minutes before getting to his feet and walking to the sideline after the play in the third quarter. He made his way to the tunnel not long afterward, looking into the stands before smiling and departing toward the locker room.
The Dolphins needed almost no time before announcing it was a concussion. The team said he had two during the 2022 season, and Tagovailoa was diagnosed with another concussion when he was a college player at Alabama.
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Tagovailoa would get “proper procedural evaluation” and “appropriate care” on Friday.
“The furthest thing from my mind is, ‘What is the timeline?’ We just need to evaluate and just worry about my teammate, like the rest of the guys are,” McDaniel said. “We’ll get more information tomorrow and take it day by day from here.”
Some players saw Tagovailoa in the locker room after the game and said they were encouraged. Tagovailoa spoke with some players and then went home after the game, McDaniel said.
“I have a lot of love for Tua, built a great relationship with him,” said quarterback Skylar Thompson, who replaced Tagovailoa after the injury. “You care about the person more than the player and everybody in the organization would say the same thing. Just really praying for Tua and hopefully everything will come out all right.”
Tagovailoa signed a four-year, $212 million extension before this season — a deal that makes him one of the highest-paid players in the NFL — and was the NFL’s leading passer in Week 1 this season. Tagovailoa left with the Dolphins trailing 31-10, and that was the final score.
“If you know Tua outside of football, you can’t help but feel for him,” Bills quarterback Josh Allen said on Amazon following the game. “He’s a great football player but he’s an even greater human being. He’s one of the best humans on the planet. I’ve got a lot of love for him and I’m just praying for him and his family, hoping everything’s OK. But it’s tough, man. This game of football that we play, it’s got its highs and it’s got its lows — and this is one of the lows.”
Tagovailoa’s college years and first three NFL seasons were marred by injury, though he positioned himself for a big pay bump with an injury-free and productive 2023 as he led the Dolphins into the playoffs. He threw for 29 touchdowns and a league-best 4,624 yards last year.
When, or if, he can come back this season is anyone’s guess. Tagovailoa said in April 2023 that the concussions he had in the 2022 season left him contemplating his playing future. “I think I considered it for a time,” he said then, when asked if he considered stepping away from the game to protect himself.
McDaniel said it’s not his place to say if Tagovailoa should return to football. “He’ll be evaluated and we’ll have conversations and progress as appropriate,” McDaniel said.
Tagovailoa was hurt Thursday on a fourth-down keeper with about 4:30 left in the third. He went straight ahead into Hamlin and did not slide, leading with his right shoulder instead.
Hamlin was the player who suffered a cardiac arrest after making a tackle during a Monday night game in January 2023 at Cincinnati, causing the NFL to suspend a pivotal game that quickly lost significance in the aftermath of a scary scene that unfolded in front of a national television audience.
Tagovailoa wound up on his back, both his hands in the air and Bills players immediately pointed at him as if to suggest there was an injury. Dolphins center Aaron Brewer quickly did the same, waving to the sideline.
Tagovailoa appeared to be making a fist with his right hand as he lay on the ground. It was movement consistent with something that is referred to as the “fencing response,” which can be common after a traumatic brain injury.
Tagovailoa eventually got to his feet. McDaniel grabbed the side of his quarterback’s head and gave him a kiss on the cheek as Tagovailoa departed. Thompson came into the game to take Tagovailoa’s spot.
“I love Tua on and off the football field,” Bills edge Von Miller said. “I’m a huge fan of him. I can empathize and sympathize with him because I’ve been there. I wish him the best.”
Tagovailoa’s history with concussions — and how he has since worked to avoid them — is a huge part of the story of his career, and now comes to the forefront once again.
He had at least two concussions during the 2022 season. He was hurt in a Week 3 game against Buffalo and cleared concussion protocol, though he appeared disoriented on that play but returned to the game.
The NFL later changed its concussion protocol to mandate that if a player shows possible concussion symptoms — including a lack of balance or stability — he must sit out the rest of the game.
Less than a week later, in a Thursday night game at Cincinnati, Tagovailoa was concussed on a scary hit that briefly knocked him unconscious and led to him being taken off the field on a stretcher.
His second known concussion of that season came in a December game against Green Bay, and he didn’t play for the rest of the 2022 season. After that, Tagovailoa began studying ways where he may be able to fall more safely and protect himself against further injury — including studying jiu-jitsu.
“I’m not worried about anything that’s out of my hands,” McDaniel said. “I’m just worried about the human being.”
TORSBY, Sweden (AP) — David Beckham and former England coach Roy Hodgson were among the soccer dignitaries who attended the funeral of Sven-Goran Eriksson on Friday in the Swedish manager’s small hometown of Torsby.
Eriksson’s wooden coffin was covered in white flowers and surrounded by six tall candles and other floral wreaths as the ceremony began inside the 600-seat Fryksande church.
“It is a day of grief but also a day of thankfulness,” the priest, Ingela Älvskog, told those in attendance.
Beckham, who arrived by private jet on Thursday, greeted Eriksson’s 95-year-old father Sven and other family members with hugs inside the church before the funeral started.
Eriksson became England’s first foreign-born coach when he led the national team from 2001-06, and made Beckham his captain.
Eriksson, who also won trophies at club level in Italy, Portugal and Sweden, died on Aug. 26 at the age of 76, eight months after he revealed he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and had at most one year to live.
Some 200 seats in the neo-Gothic church from 1898 were reserved for his family, friends and players from his career in the football world, according to his agent. The remaining seats were open for the public, according to Eriksson’s wish, with a big screen set up outside the church where hundreds more gathered to watch the ceremony. The funeral was also broadcast live on some Swedish media websites.
The wooden coffin was wheeled in by pallbearers at the church Friday morning as fog wrapped Torsby — a town of about 4,000 people located about 310 kilometers (193 miles) west of Stockholm. Next to the casket was a photo of Eriksson on a small table. The floral wreaths included ones sent by FIFA and Lazio, the Italian team that Eriksson led to the Serie A title in 2000.
The ceremony began with somber piano and organ music, but later took on a more upbeat note with Swedish singer Charlotta Birgersson performing Elton John’s song “Candle In The Wind” and then “My Way” in a duet with Johan Birgersson, who later intoned the popular Italian song “Volare” after the family had gathered around the casket to lay flowers.
Beckham also visited Eriksson in Sweden in June to say goodbye. Others attending the funeral included the Swedish coach’s longtime partner Nancy Dell’Olio. Eriksson’s agent had said that guests from England, Italy and Spain were expected.
After the funeral, the casket was carried out of the church by eight men to the hearse. The guests then walked in a procession accompanying the coffin to a nearby museum where speeches and eulogies to the coach fondly known as “Svennis” were planned on an outdoor stage. A brass band played during the procession through Torsby, including the tune “You never walk alone” from the musical “Carousel” which has become the anthem of Liverpool, the club Eriksson supported since childhood.
The local soccer club Torsby IF, where Eriksson started his career in the 1960s, wrote on its webpage that “you also showed your greatness by always being yourself, the caring Svennis who talked to everyone and took the time, for big and small, asking how things were and how the football was going. We will miss you.”
