Canada’s Masterclass: How to Politely Present a Bow Down to Trump

Imagine America’s globe-trotting CEO, famed for “The Art of the Deal,” executing a tariff initiative as subtle as a freight train negotiating with a hockey-enthusiast neighbor. Canada enters the trade talks exuding confidence and vowing “maximum pain”—only to pivot quicker than a maple leaf in a gust. The irony: diplomacy disguised as defiance concludes with Canada rescinding its retaliatory tariffs on U.S. products, aligning exemptions under USMCA in a display of urgency. This leads to questions of hypocrisy and strategy intermingling. Initially, in early 2025, Trump imposed extensive 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports—except for energy. In retaliation, Canada enacted corresponding tariffs valued at C$30 billion. As Canadian shoppers rallied for “Buy Canadian,” the political landscape shifted dramatically. By August, Mark Carney announced the withdrawal of most tariffs, except for steel and aluminum, claiming this would restore free trade. Critics labeled it a “capitulation,” yet it underscores the complex malleability of negotiation in today's trade dynamics.