Trudeau versus Trump

I am not favorably impressed by our Prime Minister in some ways, but I confess that he is a classier guy than the U.S. president. Trump’s derogation of black nations this week may turn out to be the event that historians will one day use to mark as the start of Trump being a lame duck president. Who can take him seriously anymore? I don’t mean that his attitude on immigration is only his own, but he just can’t seem to control his tongue.

The world thinks of Trump as the most powerful man in the world. He’s not. The USA is the most powerful country, and he is president, but you just have to look at how even lower courts hamstring him to see he is not the most powerful man in the world. A prime minister in a parliamentary democracy is immensely more powerful. In Canada, for example, even though the courts can stymie the government, it is an easy matter for the PM to change a problematic law provided he has a majority government and a friendly senate, and doesn’t go so berserk that the Governor-General calls an election.

It doesn’t take long to change a law here. It’s almost amazing to see how long it took Obama to get his health care legislation. Years and years. His contemporary, Stephen Harper, could have got it done in 30 days. Hypothetically of course since health plans are a matter of provincial jurisdiction. But you get the point.

With no concept of how weak Trump is, Canada has gotten excited about his plan to ditch NAFTA. Trump can lament NAFTA all he wants, but he still is tied by the U.S. system. The largest democrat constituency, California, and the largest Republican one, Texas, both have Mexico as their number 1 trade partner. They aren’t going to let Trump flush NAFTA away. Sure, the name may change to make it seem like something was accomplished, but it will still be there.

In the meantime, Canada is trying to get a free trade thing going with China. I can’t see that being accomplished. China doesn’t like free trade, free markets, free anything. Well, maybe free resources where they can find them, or almost free.

I expect Canada will give up on a Sino free trade initiative. Marijuana legalization seems to be the number 1 priority. I have to credit the Liberals for make a good effort to keep all the 2015 campaign promises, but the weed one seems to be taking a lot of time and attention.