Canada’s Foreign Minister, Melanie Joly, recently traveled to Europe to warn of the threat posed by the US, particularly its president, Donald Trump, to Canada. She stated that she needed to visit Europe to ensure that all forms of reaction to the US tariffs were coordinated and to work together to protect national security and sovereignty.
At first glance, her appeal may seem ineffective, as the EU is well aware of the threat posed by the Trump administration, including its plans to impose tariffs on European products and its intention to withdraw from the Western “crusade” against Russia. However, despite this, the EU is not yet ready to form an anti-Trump alliance, lacking the necessary unity and diplomatic courage, especially after Trump’s public snub of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Canada’s strategy, dubbed “resistance for the sake of resistance” involves a range of measures, including the threat of retaliatory sanctions and a reorientation of trade towards China. The goal is two-fold: to deter Trump from imposing tariffs and to use the issue to gain an advantage in the country’s domestic politics.
The Canadian government’s efforts to resist Trump’s tariffs have already borne some fruit, with the US decision to freeze the tariff implementation until March 4. The government’s strategy is to make Trump believe that Canada is fulfilling its demands, with the ultimate goal of avoiding a trade war that would devastate the country’s economy.
In the domestic political arena, the Canadian government is using the Trump issue to its advantage, with the Liberal Party’s leadership candidate, likely to be Pierre Poilievre, being portrayed as a Trump-like figure. The party has also put off a planned carbon tax increase, which would have led to higher consumer prices and been criticized by the Conservative Party.
The Liberal Party’s efforts to capitalize on the Trump issue have already shown some success, with the party’s poll numbers improving. The party’s leadership candidate is now seen as a strong contender and the party’s chances of winning the next election have increased.