The Canada-US trade negotiations reveal a lack of focus, particularly from American leaders. President Trump acknowledged the absence of a deal with Canada, indicating a general disinterest. British Columbia Premier David Eby voiced doubts about the effectiveness of proposed counter tariffs, suggesting they could harm residents without influencing Trump's stance. Eby's evolving perspective contrasts sharply with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's previous views on countermeasures. Overall, the negotiations reflect a decline in motivation and satisfaction among Canadian officials as they confront unpredictable American policies.
On July 25, ahead of the tariff deadline, the American president sounded like he'd just been reminded Canada exists. "We don't have a deal with Canada, we haven't been focused on it," Donald Trump said, doing his best imitation of Jordan Catalano from My So-Called Life.
British Columbia premier David Eby gave an extraordinary interview to Bloomberg, where he questioned the wisdom of further counter tariffs. The rebuttals Eby announced with some fanfare on February 1 "haven't seemed to have had the kind of impact that we would hope for," he says now.
Eby's willingness to think out loud and adjust course is among his most refreshing qualities, but it's worth noting that in February, questioning the virtue of countermeasures was one of the things that threatened to get Alberta premier Danielle Smith barred from civilized society.
This is all deeply unsatisfying, but it may be that there is no satisfying way to respond to Trump. As the summer wears on, there is a notable droop to the once proud motivation.
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