Some after coffee thoughts on the collapse of U.S. - Canada trade talks.
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@PaulBusch A very good point - I've no doubt trump's pirates have already drawn up a list of Canadian suppliers of critical goods to target and buy out if the time comes.
Canada must find a way to identify and protect these businesses, not only to keep them Canadian, but also to avoid having the tables turned and find themselves paying tariffs on Canadian produced goods, from an american owned internal company.
We really need a list of sectors that are in the 'national interest' with all sales of businesses in those sectors to any foreign interest requiring government approval (and the application being publicly posted in advance). Make Govenrment justify why it's allowing any critical industries to be sold before the sale can commence.
We also need a a law that before ANY Canadian business can be sold to a foreign interest, Canadians need to be given the right of first refusal on the purchase.
*Note: We also need to define foreign interest as anyone not considered a legal resident of Canada (even if they are citizen) or Canadian citizens like Elon could bypass any protections while serving the interests of another country.
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Other legislation that should be passed immediately is the Digital Services Tax, legislation that was canceled in order to foster good relations in the trade talks. That sure worked. Pass it immediately and make U.S. tech pay taxes in Canada for profits made from servicing Canadians.
There should also be increased export duties on anything the U.S. still needs - aluminum, oil, electric power, potash, etc. Build a fund from these taxes and use it to support other industries with fewer options.@PaulBusch Cory Doctorow (@pluralistic) proposed a brilliant retaliatory strategy by hitting the US where it really hurts — digital rights management. Here's his article on the topic via the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives: https://www.policyalternatives.ca/news-research/what-if-canada-stopped-upholding-u-s-tech-companies-intellectual-property/ #cdnpoli #tariffs
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@PaulBusch Cory Doctorow (@pluralistic) proposed a brilliant retaliatory strategy by hitting the US where it really hurts — digital rights management. Here's his article on the topic via the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives: https://www.policyalternatives.ca/news-research/what-if-canada-stopped-upholding-u-s-tech-companies-intellectual-property/ #cdnpoli #tariffs
I remember reading this but forgot about it this morning. Thanks for sharing, and yes it's brilliant and the U.S. tech bros would go crazy.
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Other legislation that should be passed immediately is the Digital Services Tax, legislation that was canceled in order to foster good relations in the trade talks. That sure worked. Pass it immediately and make U.S. tech pay taxes in Canada for profits made from servicing Canadians.
There should also be increased export duties on anything the U.S. still needs - aluminum, oil, electric power, potash, etc. Build a fund from these taxes and use it to support other industries with fewer options.@PaulBusch
If Carney cancelled endangered species protections and other environmental regs for trump, he needs to reverse those also. All capitulations made must be reversed. -
Trump is quoted regularly that his favourite word is "Tariffs". The likelihood that he would alter his misguided approach to trade policy is close to zero. He sees money pouring into the government but doesn't understand the damage done to his economy or impact felt by U.S. consumers. Because he's also incapable of learning, his trade negotiators weren't going to change his mind. As long as he remains in office, tariffs will remain central to his trade policy.
@PaulBusch And the military sector. Europe has recently been investing in military drones, yet Trump has imposed a 100% tariff. Who would buy the drones? The army. And it will buy them at twice the price.
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@PaulBusch And the military sector. Europe has recently been investing in military drones, yet Trump has imposed a 100% tariff. Who would buy the drones? The army. And it will buy them at twice the price.
Today would be a good day to officially announce the purchase of Gripens from Sweden.
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Thinking about retaliation. Applying reciprocal #Tariffs is the stated next step. That will raise prices for us and makes it more important than ever to #BuyCanadian. Our government needs to work on a strict labeling law that makes it easy to identify Canadian products, and stop importers from #MapleWashing their goods. Push that legislation through immediately.
And speak up when grocery stores label usian products as hoserian.
There were some sweet potatoes/yams (something like that) that had a maple leaf on the sign but inside the bin there were little green tags from a state inspection agency in the usian south. My sister pointed it out at customer service and eventually the maple leaf was gone.
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The reference to foreign investment in Carney's statement should be managed with caution. We also need laws to protect our sovereignty or we could lose whole industries to foreign ownership.
It's been pointed out that Trump could convene a meeting of the top 25 U.S. billionaires and tell them to go on a buying spree of Canadian businesses, mineral rights, land or buildings. Several of our Premiers would gladly privatize whole ministries with the right offer.@PaulBusch Hadn’t thought about this aspect ^ .. troubling.
Premier Smith will happily sell our land, resources and well-being to the highest bidder, doubly so to her bloated orange sugar daddy. -
And speak up when grocery stores label usian products as hoserian.
There were some sweet potatoes/yams (something like that) that had a maple leaf on the sign but inside the bin there were little green tags from a state inspection agency in the usian south. My sister pointed it out at customer service and eventually the maple leaf was gone.
@RuthODay2 @PaulBusch Boycott USian cultural products as well!
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Other legislation that should be passed immediately is the Digital Services Tax, legislation that was canceled in order to foster good relations in the trade talks. That sure worked. Pass it immediately and make U.S. tech pay taxes in Canada for profits made from servicing Canadians.
There should also be increased export duties on anything the U.S. still needs - aluminum, oil, electric power, potash, etc. Build a fund from these taxes and use it to support other industries with fewer options.@PaulBusch and repeal the copyright extension that was part of CUSMA.
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Some after coffee thoughts on the collapse of U.S. - Canada trade talks. (Rant incoming)
This document is all over the news this morning, and shared widely on #MastodonCanada. Some were surprised by the collapse of discussions, primarily media and businesses, but there was a slim chance of ever achieving a deal.Statement by Prime Minister Carney on Canada-U.S. trade negotiations | Prime Minister of Canada
https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/statements/2026/08/21/statement-prime-minister-carney-canada-us-trade-negotiations@PaulBusch I know I sound like a broken record at this point but a) turn off their power b) nationalize our oil (and energy is general) and c) wait 24 hrs. There’s no point in negotiating in good faith with a neighbour that has already shown they disregard their contracts at a moments notice. SHOW them that we mean business, and in the words of some clown I can’t remember at the moment “we hold all the cards”. When the lights go off in NY or CA they’ll be negotiating right quick.
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Other legislation that should be passed immediately is the Digital Services Tax, legislation that was canceled in order to foster good relations in the trade talks. That sure worked. Pass it immediately and make U.S. tech pay taxes in Canada for profits made from servicing Canadians.
There should also be increased export duties on anything the U.S. still needs - aluminum, oil, electric power, potash, etc. Build a fund from these taxes and use it to support other industries with fewer options.@PaulBusch We should stop building American data centers and jump onboard with Europe on the new non American credit card they are designing.
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The reference to the "last minute changes in the U.S. proposed terms" is typical Trump. He talked about the tactic in his book, Art of the Deal (that he didn't write), where you get close to a deal and then throw something outrageous onto the table. His deals are not good for both sides, standard practice for achieving stable longterm partnerships, but must be an overwhelming win. He has to dominate the partner in order to feel he is winning. Canada was never going to get a fair deal.
It's interesting how some negotiation tactics can prioritize winning over collaboration. A deal's true strength often lies in the balance of interests, rather than one side's dominance.
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@PaulBusch I know I sound like a broken record at this point but a) turn off their power b) nationalize our oil (and energy is general) and c) wait 24 hrs. There’s no point in negotiating in good faith with a neighbour that has already shown they disregard their contracts at a moments notice. SHOW them that we mean business, and in the words of some clown I can’t remember at the moment “we hold all the cards”. When the lights go off in NY or CA they’ll be negotiating right quick.
@maverick604 @PaulBusch Shouldn't we be cautious with actions that might be interpreted as "acts of war"?
I would put nothing past the current US administration. I hope I am wrong. Everything they do backfires, but they keep making awful destructive choices. Because, really, it only hurts their nation, not the actual leadership. Emulating Putin and similar arrogant fools.
Fortunately, their military is a bit exhausted from stupidity in Iran. Still, they have other options for abuse. Renditions for every Canadian in the US? Revokation of all visas? What if they pressure US entertainment companies to cut of all distribution in Canada? What if they shut off access to the US Internet? etc. etc.
I am curious what we can tolerate, and what we will have to tolerate, before things get better.
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@PaulBusch and repeal the copyright extension that was part of CUSMA.
@hub @PaulBusch That would be fantastic... even if that copyright extension was maintained it could have been/can be implemented differently (optional renewals rather than automatic), in favour of more public access.
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@maverick604 @PaulBusch Shouldn't we be cautious with actions that might be interpreted as "acts of war"?
I would put nothing past the current US administration. I hope I am wrong. Everything they do backfires, but they keep making awful destructive choices. Because, really, it only hurts their nation, not the actual leadership. Emulating Putin and similar arrogant fools.
Fortunately, their military is a bit exhausted from stupidity in Iran. Still, they have other options for abuse. Renditions for every Canadian in the US? Revokation of all visas? What if they pressure US entertainment companies to cut of all distribution in Canada? What if they shut off access to the US Internet? etc. etc.
I am curious what we can tolerate, and what we will have to tolerate, before things get better.
While everything is possible, I think our government should respond and expect what is likely. Yes, Americans and the opposition government haven't really reacted aggressively to Trump's more moronic policies or statements (like invading Greenland) but even Trump's puppets know they can't go too far. Any extreme policy the U.S. implements in retaliation is likely to trigger a more vocal or violent civil disobedience, which Republicans will want to avoid.
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@PaulBusch Cory Doctorow (@pluralistic) proposed a brilliant retaliatory strategy by hitting the US where it really hurts — digital rights management. Here's his article on the topic via the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives: https://www.policyalternatives.ca/news-research/what-if-canada-stopped-upholding-u-s-tech-companies-intellectual-property/ #cdnpoli #tariffs
@cjmoorehead @PaulBusch @pluralistic
Gee, I am an American citizen and all I can say is:
Throw me in that briar patch!!
( TCP/IP does not respect international borders. What are they gonna do, sue me? )
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@hub @PaulBusch That would be fantastic... even if that copyright extension was maintained it could have been/can be implemented differently (optional renewals rather than automatic), in favour of more public access.
@owlyph @PaulBusch Also they should repeal the part of the copyright act that preempt Canadian rights with DRM. That section, put up by Harper, was to placate the US tech.
Make Canada the capital if phone unlock and compatible ink cartridges.
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@owlyph @PaulBusch Also they should repeal the part of the copyright act that preempt Canadian rights with DRM. That section, put up by Harper, was to placate the US tech.
Make Canada the capital if phone unlock and compatible ink cartridges.
@hub louder for those in the back!!!
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The reference to the "last minute changes in the U.S. proposed terms" is typical Trump. He talked about the tactic in his book, Art of the Deal (that he didn't write), where you get close to a deal and then throw something outrageous onto the table. His deals are not good for both sides, standard practice for achieving stable longterm partnerships, but must be an overwhelming win. He has to dominate the partner in order to feel he is winning. Canada was never going to get a fair deal.
Apparently this was the "last minute demand".
