As AFN has reported, Canada's refusal to "fall in line" and reach a new trade agreement recently triggered President Donald Trump to threaten 50% tariffs on certain goods. Prime Minister Mark Carney threatened to retaliate.
"We learned during the negotiations that the Americans want to destroy our major industries, including autos, steel and aluminum," Carney said. "That was one of the main reasons we said no. It was a bad deal."
The U.S.-Canada trade talks have completely collapsed, leading to an escalating trade war between the two nations.
The U.S. implemented 50% tariffs on $20 billion of Canadian goods, Canada scheduled matching retaliatory duties on over 700 American products effective September 8, and the Trump administration has threatened to expand these 50% levies to Canadian automobiles and steel by January 1, 2027.
Brian Rushfeldt has said he thinks Carney's concern for Canadian businesses is a façade; he does not think the prime minister has any intention of negotiating a new trade deal.
"He's got this grand vision of us under the one world order, and he's even said that: that can only happen if we give up our autonomy. And if our economy is so bad and we basically debt ourselves to whoever is loaning us all these billions of dollars, they will run the country," the activist notes. "Carney wants to be the chief of that."
Rushfeldt thinks Canadians will be stuck with Carney for years to come.
Canada holds federal general elections at least every four years under its fixed-election-date law, with the scheduled election date being the third Monday of October in the fourth calendar year after the previous general election. However, the prime minister can request that Parliament be dissolved earlier, so elections can happen before the four-year mark.
The most recent federal election on April 28, 2025 occurred earlier than the originally scheduled October 2025 date, but the next fixed election date is now October 15, 2029.
"It is absolutely unbelievable to most Canadians who are somewhat conservative and somewhat informed, that we still have anybody who would vote for Liberals, but the Liberals are still polling at least neck-and-neck with the Conservatives," Rushfeldt relays.
"I think Carney, with his crooked plans, will buy a number of votes. I think, unfortunately, we're going to see him buy enough votes in the next election that he will have another four-year term," he says.
