The Morning Rant: Minimalist Edition

It's fun to make fun of Canada. They are an odd people living in an odd country, and any culture that elevates Poutine to high cuisine cannot be taken seriously. Besides, their bacon...isn't.

But they also live in North America, and is it tempting to assume that they hold dear many of the things that formed us, here in the United States. Hell, they even sort of speak English, and drive on the correct side of the road! Individualism, personal responsibility, freedom of speech, the right to self defense against all things...you know, the stuff that makes up American Exceptionalism; they must love that stuff!

Sadly, it is becoming increasingly clear that they are an alien culture that has drawn
all of the communitarian aspects of our roughly shared European and Anglo-Saxon heritage and left behind that which has created the greatest country in history.

Prime Minister Carney's Liberal Party to lead fourth consecutive government

Pierre Poilievre seemed like a good antidote to the execrable Justin Trudeau, and Canada seemed poised to return to some semblance of normalcy with respect to taxes, illegal immigration, personal freedom, and size of government. But he was unable to articulate a vision of Canada that was independent of President Trump's barbs that mocked Canada as a country. And most of all, Canadians were intimidated by the prospect of actually taking some responsibility for themselves, their national defense, and their position in the Western world.

Apparently they prefer their cradle-to-grave soft socialism that is driving them into 3rd World status, an ascendant Islamic minority that is given preference in all things, embracing the lunacy of transsexualism, and an increasingly authoritarian thought police that strives to restrict the basic human rights of free speech!

As much as we want to assume that they are made from the same cloth as Americans...they aren't. They are Europe-Lite. All we can do is mock them for their lack of freedom and liberty, and hold their collective feet to the fire to participate in the defense of the Western world. And that will be quite a chore, since they are near the bottom of every list of percentage of GDP devoted to defense. They have ignored their NATO responsibilities, and have the arrogance to pretend that they can go it alone without the massive defensive umbrella of America.

They can't, and it is clownish to preen and strut as if they can.

Let's see how they respond when Russia or China starts playing in the Canadian arctic. My bet is a rapid recalibration of their relationship with America!

But for now? President Trump's tariff offensive is a powerful reminder to Canada that they are indeed America's hat. How the negotiations will shake out is difficult to judge, but in the meantime we can buy Wisconsin Maple Syrup and look for auto parts made in America or Mexico. Hopefully the relaxation of the Biden prohibitions on petroleum production will provide an alternative to Canadian oil, and as for lumber, I think America has a few trees left.

Canada is the mouse in the joke about the Elephant.

An elephant is ambling through the forest, and notices when he looks down that a mouse is busily trying to hump his leg!

The mouse looks up and sees the elephant gazing down in curiosity, and says:

"Don't worry, I'll be gentle!"

[Crossposted at CutJibNewsletter and X/Twitter] And the Apple and Spotify feeds for CJN's podcast should be working!

posted by CBD at 11:00 AM

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