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Eric Sparling of Amherst, Nova Scotia, is a former newspaper reporter and a published author. He’s had columns published in The Globe and Mail and the Toronto Star.
Congratulations on being citizens of the beautiful state of Maine. I’ve always found Mainers honest, friendly and helpful.
I’ve attended a concert in Bangor at the amphitheatre, a terrific venue. Freeport has my favorite Italian restaurant this side of the Atlantic. And I’ve had the good fortune to stand on the summit of Katahdin three times, twice via the Knife Edge. Love that mountain. Actually, Millinocket — gateway to Baxter State Park — is less than five hours from my home in Nova Scotia.
Nova Scotia. Canada.
I was planning to return to Katahdin this summer with my daughter. That’s looking less and less likely with each passing day.
American President Donald Trump has instigated a trade war with its closest ally. Ostensibly it’s to curb illegal immigration and stop the flow of fentanyl. It takes about one minute on Google to discover the amount of either flowing into America from Canada is negligible. He’s also claimed the U.S. has been “subsidizing” Canada for too long. It’s true, our countries do a lot of trade with each other — to the benefit of both parties. As residents of Maine, you know this better than most.
The president has one beef that’s legitimate, and it has nothing to do with the border. Canada has not met its NATO commitment to spending 2 percent of GDP on its military. Many Canadians would understand the United States threatening consequences for member nations if they continue to underspend on defense.
But this?
As I see it, Trump’s trade war is an exercise in propaganda, full stop. This is strongman playbook 101. Find a victim to identify as an enemy, then attack. It’s red meat for the base. If other nations get upset, that suits him fine: the more hate directed at America, the more consolidated the president will likely feel as the defender of the Republic.
Trump launched a new crypto-currency meme coin days before his inauguration, and thinks threatening a NATO ally, Denmark, with the takeover of Greenland is a good idea. Ethical lapses and strategic miscalculations are just another executive order for this president, it seems. So perhaps it’s no shock Trump has grossly underestimated Canadians.
Trump assumes my countrymen value a bit of extra spending money over our self respect. America’s about to find out he’s wrong.
This trade war will hurt but it won’t kill our economy. We’ll still have thriving industries and bustling cities. Some of us will feel the sting of tariffs, but it won’t break us. Not even close.
On the contrary, Canadians are coming together. Trade barriers between provinces will be coming down, minor political squabbles are demoted in the face of the bigger threat. My neighbors are drawing up lists of “Made in the USA” products they will no longer purchase. We will find other markets for our goods.
It will hurt America less than us, sure, but it doesn’t need to hurt either of us. Right or left, experts agree a trade war is misguided and dangerous.
I probably won’t be visiting Maine this summer. Freeport will have more empty parking spaces in July, and Bangor more vacant hotel rooms. Maybe you’ll come visit us instead. Your dollar goes a long way here. Bring whoopie pies and new friends will appear.
I will offer one piece of advice, though, before we part ways: If you’d like to remain under the illusion Canadians are always mild-mannered and nice, you might want to leave the MAGA hats at home.
