Only On The Walters Post

When it comes to trade wars, there’s a reality that Canada needs to face: no matter how many tariffs we throw at the United States, it’s like tossing a grain of sand into the ocean. Canada, with our population of roughly 41 million, is smaller than just the state of California. Hell, New York alone has half our population! So let’s do the math. Who do you think holds the leverage in this economic scuffle?

Ontario Premier Doug Ford is hitting back at Trump’s latest round of tariffs, pulling American booze off LCBO shelves, cutting ties with Star-link, and even floating the idea of slapping tariffs on critical minerals and electricity. On top of that, Ontario is shutting out U.S. companies from government procurement deals, cutting them off from a $30 billion revenue stream. And if things escalate, there’s talk of adding surcharges on the electricity we export south. But let’s be real here—do these moves actually hurt the U.S.? Not really.

Trump is already ahead of the game, striking deals with other countries who are more than happy to sell him everything he needs. Minerals? Energy? Fuel? There’s no shortage of nations willing to supply the U.S., often at competitive prices. Meanwhile, we risk making things more expensive and inconvenient for ourselves in an attempt to land a punch that barely registers.

Now, I’m not saying Trump’s trade tactics are a good thing, far from it. But I do hope this situation forces Canada to wake up. Instead of playing tit-for-tat, we need to focus on strengthening our own industries, investing in manufacturing, and encouraging Canadians to buy local. Because… the only real way to stand up to economic bullying is to be independent enough that it doesn’t hurt when the big players push back.

We need more than just reactionary politics, we need long-term vision. Cutting off American liquor won’t make a dent in their economy, banning Star-link won’t put a dent in Musk’s fortune, and hitting them with surcharges won’t have them scrambling. But… investing in Canadian businesses? Now that will make a difference for us.

One has to really take a close look at things as what we say we can do is one thing; what can really happen is another.

Until the next time; Keep Your Minds Open & Your Stories Alive. GW