Canada Must Stand Its Ground Against 'Annexation' Agenda, Says Goodale

Former federal Liberal cabinet minister and diplomat Ralph Goodale is urging Canadians to stand their ground in the ongoing trade dispute with the United States. He claims that President Donald Trump's goal is not a 'good business deal' but rather 'annexation' and 'the subjugation of the Canadian economy'.

Goodale notes that Canada did not start this trade war, but now that it has been attacked by the US multiple times, Canadians must defend themselves. He emphasizes that ignoring the situation would only lead to further aggression from Trump.

The current tariffs imposed by both countries have a relatively small impact on the Canadian economy so far, affecting about 5% of Canada's exports to the US and vice versa. However, Goodale warns that this could grow significantly if left unchecked. He also highlights that smaller businesses are being disproportionately affected by these tariffs.

Goodale suggests that Canadians need to be 'smarter' in how they respond to this situation, citing the carefully calibrated Canadian counter-tariffs implemented on September 8 as a good example. These tariffs aim to have maximum impact on the US while minimizing blowback in Canada and sending a political message that these tariffs are counterproductive.