We need to escalate faster and hit harder in our tariff war with the US. That’s the argument the most recent Hatchet episode. The reasoning makes sense:
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The uncertainty around tariffs means that businesses will decide to relocate away from Canada, even if tariffs are never fully implemented. It’s just easier to set up shop in the US and skip the tariff risk entirely. The longer the uncertainty drags on, the worse Canada’s position becomes.
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Trump and Musk are doing so many ridiculous things that the US public isn’t focusing on the trade war with Canada, which means they aren’t putting pressure on their representatives to end the trade war.
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As time goes on, Canada’s unity will fracture. Individual provinces will cave as they receive individual concessions.
The argument is that we should keep export tariffs on potash, energy, and other stuff we’re selling into the US so that there’s significant short term pain. That pain will convince Trump and co to back off on tariffs and return to our previous relationship.
More export tariffs on the essential things they can’t quickly replace (and Belarus, Russia are only alternatives for Potash) even if it is a provincial tariff cash grab is good. Alberta tar sands oil has US customers that can only use that oil (until Venezuela is next US friend), and they need to spend $20B and 5 years building an alternate refinery. Uranium, also mostly SK, only has Russian alternatives.