Tag Archives: trade

Politics and Reality

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‘Was Carney’s speech in Davos in part for political expediency – to score points at home while on the world stage? A kind of ‘elbows up’ moment. And did it really help Canada’s economy, it’s workers and businesses?’ I asked Camp after he sat down at our usual table by the window overlooking the grey waters of Gibsons harbour.

 ‘You could ask why poke the orange bear with a sharp stick and get him angry and lashing out, knowing full well that the bear is vicious and unpredictable? On the other hand, facing a certain attack, it doesn’t really matter if we poke it or not, therefore it is best to be realistic about the threat and call it what it is: An assault on our country, on our political systems and on our way of life. Should we just play dead and hope the bear goes away?’

‘But we all know that we cannot easily disentangle our economies and go it alone, without the US. NATO cannot, the EU and UN cannot and certainly Canada cannot either. We do share the longest undefended border in the world with the US and our mutual trade and culture is integrated and intertwined. Untangling it is like unravelling a large ball of wool in a storm.’ 

‘It’s been a sobering week with ICE in all-out war against the immigrant population in the streets of the nation’s cities. They have taken the war from the borders and brought the border into the country. It’s from an old playbook used by dictators and despots since time immemorial,’ Camp said, shaking his head in disgust.

‘I did a bit or research,’ I said. ‘The reality is that as of 2025, the US foreign-born population reached a record high of approximately 53 million people, about 16% of the total population. Of those about 15 million are undocumented. Most of those come to the US for work and these individuals are in the prime of their working lives.’ 

‘Yes, and studies also indicate that undocumented immigrants are not displacing US born workers. Rather, they are filling jobs that few Americans are interested in. One sector, in particular, offers a striking illustration: Undocumented immigrants account for 50 percent of all hired field and crop workers, making them essential to the success and continued viability of American farms.’

We both paused, taking the edge off our conversation by concentrating on our beers. I changed the subject, wanting to coast into friendlier waters than the stormy US politics. 

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The End of History

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            “Is there a day we don’t have to read about Trump’s latest brainfart, his comic book world view or his most recent firing of a neutral bureaucrat or elimination of a scientific agency that caught his ire because of numbers he doesn’t like or points of view that go against his he-man, world dominion fantasy. He has been given the power by the people, a lockstep congress and the supreme court to throw the whole world into chaos which will have long lasting, negative effects on future generations,” I said rather bothered by it all. I only was able to relax when I had a fresh brew in my hand.

            Camp, my wise and cynical sparring partner didn’t miss his cue and quoted from his ever-present stupid phone. “This is Edward Alden’s blunt assessment of Trump’s torrent of tariffs last week. He is a trade expert at the Council on Foreign Relations. ‘The United States has destroyed the global trade system it created and left nothing in its place but a set of ad hoc arrangements. For trade, the result will be long-term instability that will be bad for business, bad for consumers and bad for global growth.”

            “One of the worst hit is tiny Switzerland with 9 million people but a 39% tariff. Not sure what he doesn’t like about them. Watches, chocolates or maybe he hates yodeling? Laos, Myanmar and Syria are the only 3 countries with higher tariffs. My guess is he doesn’t like the liberal Swiss democracy.”

            “Who would have thought that the US is now everybody’s enemy numero uno? Except for San Salvador whose young dictator, Nayib Bukele, will gladly jail anybody the US expels. Legal or not.”

            “The reality is so bizarre that it’s hard to accept that one man can wield such power to upset the scales of justice, trade and decency. How will history judge this time?”

            “I honestly think that we have reached the end of history, my friend. We are living in a time where reality is turned upside down and inside out. Who will narrate the facts, record the truth, preserve the record? AI? Not anyone I trust anymore. Not the universities who have kissed the ring and bent the knee, not the bureaucrats who are busy rewriting and revising past history, not the politicians who dare not challenge the status quo for fear of losing the next election.”

            “That leaves people like you and me Camp who are witnessing the whole parade and circus from the sidelines.”

“But who will believe two curmudgeons like us? We are neither tiktok influencers nor historians but we can tell a falsehood from a fact, a lie from the truth and a cult from its leader. That’s what we are caught in: a nefarious cult of science deniers, democracy haters, racists, fascists and bullies.”

“It’s sad isn’t it. We grew up in the age of Aquarius with all the fun, colours and music, experiments and tolerance and now we’re living in the age of darkness where nobody laughs, everybody is cynical and the light at the end of the tunnel is indeed a train coming straight on.”

“I guess you could call it the age of Scorpio since we’re talking Zodiac signs.”

“You two are way off the path if I heard you right,” Vicky said when she swapped our empties. “Maybe you don’t need another drink.”

“We’re just goofing around, is all. We’re actually living in the best of times and in the best of places with the best server one could wish for,” Camp said, actually smiling at Vicky.

“That’s better. Think positive. You’ll notice the difference.”