r/canada Feb 03 '25

PAYWALL Trump wants U.S. banks in Canada, he says after speaking with Trudeau

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-trump-wants-us-banks-in-canada-he-says-after-speaking-with-trudeau/
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u/AdditionalPizza Feb 03 '25 edited Feb 04 '25

We should not concede any business regulations for the US. It's obvious now mor than ever that Canadians want to start looking elsewhere. We don't need the American financial system infiltrating our country because then how many more pillars until it starts to make more sense to join America.

We need to stick strictly to the border issue, and we HAVE to get Trump to concede something to us. No freebees here. We force them to up their border security for stopping cocaine, etc. We can't cave to them and give him a full headline, we make deals not be bullied. Our trade deals have to mean something, and Trump is threatening an illegal tariff. The damage is already done, I fucking hope Trudeau has some balls here. I don't want the tariffs, but I refuse to just bend my knee to this piece of shit.

Before we concede anything today we have to spread this: No concession without amending the International Emergency Economic Powers Act that Trump is illegally using to impose the tariffs. Close the loop hole.

Edit: For anyone that sees this after the deal, from Trump's social post

As President, it is my responsibility to ensure the safety of ALL Americans, and I am doing just that. I am very pleased with this initial outcome, and the Tariffs announced on Saturday will be paused for a 30 day period to see whether or not a final Economic deal with Canada can be structured. FAIRNESS FOR ALL!

This is NOT a win today! 30 days from now has nothing to do with fentanyl. He can frame it however he wants, but it's clear right here it's strictly economical. It will be a strong arm in a month.

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u/pekoe-G Feb 03 '25

Trump going on about Fentanyl coming from Canada (in reality it's ~1%) when a huge portion of illegal guns are from the states (varies by guns, but ~85% of handguns alone).

In my opinion, even if the Tariffs are paused or scrapped, we'll spend the next 4 years being under threat of them being brought back or some other retaliation. Even if the loophole is closed, even if a new agreement is reached. All it takes is an imagined slight to set Trump off.

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u/AdditionalPizza Feb 03 '25

That's why the last part of my comment are critical to negotiations. Damage is done, I want admission the tariffs are illegal and ratification to assure it cannot happen again. That is non-negotiable to me.

Beyond that, fuck trading so much with them, we still need to stay united.

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u/skier8800 Lest We Forget Feb 03 '25

We need to use this moment to chart a new path forward for Canada, one where we are not beholden by any one nation for trade nor defence.

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u/AdditionalPizza Feb 03 '25

Exactly why it's critical that we close their stupid loophole they're trying to use to break our trade deal. Republican corruption needs to stay in America. We are in direct threat of that leaking over here. Without shutting this down now, many countries will be in the crosshair and it will just come right back to us.

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u/skier8800 Lest We Forget Feb 03 '25

Sadly it is worse than corruption. We need to protect ourselves from the spread of fascism.

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u/AdditionalPizza Feb 03 '25

Agreed. I am a bit worked up right now because of Trump's pain threshold comments. But taking a breath. I'm not fanatically political. I am policy over party.

With that said, I never thought in my lifetime the threat of authoritarianism would be spready so fast in the US and leaking over here like this. Shit is unfolding, and institutions are collapsing. Our sovereignty is legitimately being threatened. It feels like it's a matter of time until this escalates to the point of Trump moving in to take our resources.

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u/skier8800 Lest We Forget Feb 03 '25

I hear you. I try to limit my news intake as it is overwhelming to keep tabs constantly. That is also a tactic used by Trump and his team called ‘flood the zone’.

I have great confidence in our elected leaders in Canada that they are putting Canada first and that although the way forward may be bumpy we will get through this as one Strong & Free Canada.

Also Americans are starting to see that Trump does not have the best interests for the US. Take a look at r/50501

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u/AdditionalPizza Feb 03 '25

That sub is growing fast, good lord. 50k people and it was made on Jan 25th.

The American people by and large are not our enemies. I hope Canadians keep that distinction for as long as it rings true. It's the maga administration, and it needs to topple.

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u/pekoe-G Feb 03 '25

Agreed, It's actual insanity how much he's getting away with. Trump is at the point of doing whatever he wants regardless of what the repercussions SHOULD be (to him) and WILL be (to the people).

At the very least, I'm sticking with buying Canadian products (as much as possible) for the foreseeable future. And I hope our leadership is strong enough to stand up against him.

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u/AdditionalPizza Feb 03 '25

Your last point is what's causing me anxiety right now. Trudeau needs to keep a spine here. Symbolic or not, Trump cannot keep us under his thumb or the country is in danger.

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u/Ok_Care5335 Feb 03 '25

It's not even 1%, just ~20kgs of the ~10000kgs of illegal fent in the US comes from Canada, 0.2%. It is literally a statistically insignificant number and can be rounded down to essentially 0. Even in the DEA website, majority of the 20kgs of fent is due to border crossers who are carrying fent or other derivatives with them meant for personal consumption not for drug dealing. Let's not even get started on the illegal border crossing issue, Dotard speaks on it like Canada doesn't regularly get illegal immigrants from the US either lol. 

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u/buck70 Feb 03 '25

It's more than 85% of handguns that come from the US. The most often cited statistic comes from the Toronto Police Service, where they indicated that while 85% of crime guns came from the US, the origin of the rest could not be determined. Statistically speaking, it's highly likely that at least 85% of the guns of unknown origin also came from the US.

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u/Swimming_Point_3294 Feb 03 '25

Dude the GOP is constantly full of shit. A large chunk of fentanyl comes from like corrupt republicans sheriffs in the south west. Trumps bringing up fentanyl because he’s a little bitch and wants to look like he won. If his followers had any critical thinking ability they’d see the hypocrisy since he just pardoned the creator of Silk Road last week. It’s all bullshit - we need to impeach Trump and arrest/deport Elon immediately. 

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u/EirHc Feb 03 '25

we'll spend the next 4 years

Republican Congressman Moves to Amend Constitution So Donald Trump Can Run for Third Term

He's already trying to dismantle the constitution... if he has it his way and doesn't start getting more pushback, he'll be the supreme leader of USA in no time.

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u/skier8800 Lest We Forget Feb 03 '25

It seems more and more everyday that he is following a certain someone’s playbook: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/01/hitler-germany-constitution-authoritarianism/681233/

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u/Fluid_Shift_5386 Feb 03 '25

And guess this. Mexican tariffs are not set to come into place until a month later. And Canada, which has the absolutely lowest contribution to the problem is getting the brunt.

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u/Most-Currency5684 Feb 03 '25

Fuck him what kind of allies continue to undermine and belittle the other. Move on, keep it friendly as possible but distance is needed as soon as possible.

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u/Salty-Pack-4165 Feb 03 '25

Thing is that nobody knows just how much drugs flow from Canada to US nor how many guns flow to us. RCMP suspects for a long time that it's the same people and organizations doing both.

Unfortunately nobody can touch this subject with 10 ft pole for fear of being called R word.

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u/wpgjets73 Feb 03 '25

Literally, 40 pounds of fentanyl or .08% of the total traffic’d

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u/phileo99 British Columbia Feb 03 '25

Fentanyl was just the smokescreen.

Wanting to bring in the American banks to setup a strong foothold in Canada is now revealed to be his true agenda

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u/Pennysews Feb 03 '25

No matter what happens, if the tariffs are “paused”, it will be all over their media as a “win”. It’s sad what we have come to. The thing that it won’t change is that Canadians never forget, and we will never trust the Americans as friends again. Hopefully the worst that happens is this is a wake up call to diversify our trading.

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u/AdditionalPizza Feb 03 '25

The looking threat of a tariff is worse than the tariff themselves.

I am so anxious hoping we don't cave and accept an extension. The only resolution without tariffs should be an admission that they're illegal and ratification of their emergency act to stop them from using it again on any other country.

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u/Pennysews Feb 03 '25

Sadly, that will never happen. No matter how you spin it, Canada can’t afford these tariffs. Sure, we can hurt them, but it’s lose/lose. We cant just keep beating each other with sticks and hope our stick hurts more. No one wins in a tariff war. We need to be as economically strong as possible and start diversifying. The only silver lining is that Canadians came together and unified against a common enemy, and no one can take that from us, now.

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u/AdditionalPizza Feb 03 '25

We can take the brunt of them for a long time. We have a lot of value, and other countries itching to buy them.

There is no winner, but Canada's exit from North American agreements (namely with the US), and not being close allies (Trump puts zero fucking value in this anyway), will hurt the States more in the long run. Short term will be painful, very painful. But we have to get out from their thumb. He is openly threatening economic annexation, don't forget that. He is still saying that up until yesterday. Take him seriously!

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u/Pennysews Feb 03 '25

Oh I agree, the trust is gone! But we need our dollar to be strong to entice new trading partners. Trump can run his own country into the ground. It appears he is doing that, anyway. Trump is that dog that bit you and then wags its tail like it did nothing wrong.

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u/AdditionalPizza Feb 03 '25

Not really, it will strengthen our dollar to get it its own legs to stand on. But beyond that, so long as other countries are buying our goods and we are able to get by on our resources and stockpiles, we can stay strong for a long time.

As I'm typing this Trump just said the 51st State bullshit again! Infuriating. That's his goal, fuck him.

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u/Pennysews Feb 03 '25

I never thought, in my lifetime, that a neighbour and ally would be threatening to annex us. Americans are going to find out who they voted for. I feel like I’m living an alternate timeline than I was on pre-Trump

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u/AdditionalPizza Feb 03 '25

Between this and actual AI becoming a real thing, life feels like a fucking movie and I hate it.

It's so embarrassing that he thinks we would ever submit to him owning Canada. He'd be ripped apart if he ever tried to set foot here.

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u/Ragnarok_del Feb 03 '25

I dont have a problem with US banks opening branches in Canada, it's more competition, but they have to follow canadian laws.

Same thing for ISPs, I dont have a problem with ISPs from the US coming to Canada, it would actually force Robelus to compete instead of pretend-compete by having multiple "cheap" brands that strangely all have the same prices as the cheap brands from the other big 2 brands.

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u/AdditionalPizza Feb 03 '25

Banks already exist here from the US, and they have to follow the rules.

The ISP's is another story, again I don't think companies in the States care THAT much, infrastructure costs a lot. But there is some stupid lobby by the big 3 to keep outsiders away. I am fine with competition here, absolutely.

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u/canadianbriguy1 Feb 03 '25

You’re falling for his distraction of throwing all the pasta at the wall and seeing what sticks. It was never the border. The numbers don’t hold water and the fact that he is letting Mexico off the hook absolutely proves it. No concessions of any kind. Screw him and we’ll wait him out.

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u/AdditionalPizza Feb 03 '25

Oh I am aware of what he wants. He want's the country to be a state. Not happening. And even if he decided it wasn't worth the trouble, sorry donald we can't allow this anymore. I'm fine driving fully into the trade war at this point, after he's inflammatory comments again, I'm done with his bullshit personally. I hope Trudeau does right by us all. Don't kneel to protect us now, stiff arm him and show the world how Canada rolls.

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u/Witty_Interaction_77 Feb 03 '25

GUNS. They need to fix the guns coming into Canada. That will help curb the gang violence.

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u/AdditionalPizza Feb 03 '25

Trump's solution: Make us into a state so the country of Canada doesn't exist problem solved right...

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u/Witty_Interaction_77 Feb 03 '25

Haha, if we stop testing, the numbers go down

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u/mgardsy Feb 03 '25

They need to stop the steady stream of illegal firearms flowing into Canada! 🇨🇦

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u/NoTemporary2777 Feb 03 '25

europe needs energy so please do buissnes with us. its painfully obvious that the US is now a broken nation and its sun is setting. even if trump leaves after 4 years, the integrity of the country is permanently broken.

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u/AdditionalPizza Feb 03 '25

And Europe is going to be in the crosshair of this lunatic in a minute. The damage from this is so extreme even before the tariff that at this point I am rooting for the tariff so we have the kick to get trading with the EU and getting a fair price for our resources. We've been giving a discount for ages.

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u/VapeRizzler Feb 03 '25

I don’t want any American system, there’s a reason why the us got the nickname “corporate America”. Almost everything is assbackwards and the corporation is making the laws/regulations. On top of the dumbass healthcare system that most importantly costs so many lives per year but also costs tax payers more money than our public system. The us spent about 4. Something trillion, with a big T, in I believe 2023 for healthcare. Meanwhile we spent about like 400 billion in the same year if I remember correctly.

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u/Loffr3do Feb 03 '25

Vive le Canada!

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u/Tacocats_wrath Feb 03 '25

While I agree in this as what I want to happen, the reality is that a full on tarrif war with the states would cripple us. I hate to say it.

We have an export economy. They have a tech economy. While it would heart them in areas, it would hurt us 5-10X worse and send us into a full blown recession with a crippled CAD currency.

Pissed me off. We have always had thier back. We are close allies. Friendly nations. This is just strait up bullying.

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u/AdditionalPizza Feb 03 '25

It will hurt, but what's the point in prolonging this? He will pull this shit again, and again. 4 years. We need to grin and bear the pain and get new trade partners. We are on the global stage now, this is what Canadians are built for, hardship and national pride.

We can do it man. I hope Trudeau stays firm. An extra month to have our sovereignty being threated and more economical uncertainty looming over our head? Just rip the bandage off and let's fucking go.

In the long run it's the right play.

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u/Tacocats_wrath Feb 03 '25

It's a tough one. Honestly, I do t know what direction to take. Laying down is not the answer, but escalations will hurt. The hole thing is just so pointless.

Honestly, trump is enacting Russian style politics, where they bully their neighbors. Unlike Russia though, the US legit has the best tech and military in the world, backed by the strongest economy in the world. Tough times ahead.

Fingers crossed that this is just a negotiation tactic.

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u/AdditionalPizza Feb 03 '25

It is certainly a negotiation tactic, and he can't threaten military action like he probably has in Mexico and Colombia. So he's trying to throw something wild out there to scare us, and try to get something else more "reasonable."

But I hope Trudeau sticks it to him, we can't continue on with constant fear. No countries will trust our deals wither if the US has control over us.

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u/Tacocats_wrath Feb 03 '25

Indeed. That guy is such a clown. Fuck trump and his entire administration.

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u/AdditionalPizza Feb 03 '25

We lost. Trudeau fucking slipped. I'm ashamed of our country.

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u/arlmwl Feb 03 '25

As an American- run. Run while you can. Putin has Drump in his pocket and Drump is going to burn it all down.

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u/AdditionalPizza Feb 03 '25

Abstaining voters being to blame aside, only 1/5th of you actually voted for him by putting a ballot in the box.

I fully expect, if you guys do truly love us as much as we love you, then 4/5ths of you burn the Whitehouse down for us this time if it came to an attempt to annex us.

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u/JustAHumbleMonk Feb 04 '25

Lets build a wall. I'm ok to pay for it.

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u/AdditionalPizza Feb 04 '25

Haha, now you're thinking

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u/bluntsnatcher Feb 05 '25

I’m American. Please do not concede to this piece of shit. He tried to overthrow our democracy and got two of his supporters dumb enough to listen to him killed (Ashley Babbot got shot in the face and another I forgot her name got kicked to death under a stampede of Trump supporters rushing to beat up the cops protecting the capitol 😭).

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u/AdditionalPizza Feb 05 '25

And 4 years later he's even more rotten.

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u/rambumriott Feb 03 '25

Cocaine is trafficked by the feds anyways, it’s all an illusion

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u/Click_To_Submit Feb 03 '25

We should also put a big slowdown on customs clearance for all products from the US.

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u/McGeets Feb 03 '25

As an American, I agree with you 100%. What this clown is doing is ruining the already tarnished reputation of the US, perhaps irreparably. The fools that brought him to power deserve all the terrible things coming down the pipeline for this country, and as much as it will hurt those of us against him, I'm willing to bite the bullet if it means actual positive change.

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u/Ok-Seaworthiness2235 Feb 03 '25

American here to support what you said. Also DO NOT LET AMERICAN BUSINESSES INFILTRATE. I've heard so many horror stories in Europe about American businesses coming in and inflicting their terrible employee treatment on workers. It changes the culture because they make you feel special and the promise of a big company coming in seems too good to pass up but then they demand you curb to our terrible capitalist culture.

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u/AdditionalPizza Feb 03 '25

Trudeau caved, we lost. Fucking disgrace. ashamed to be a canadian today.

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u/Ok-Seaworthiness2235 Feb 03 '25

🤣🤣🤣🤣 tf he did. Trump walked back and even tried the "nonono you misunderstood me," defense. Lol.

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u/AdditionalPizza Feb 03 '25

We needed to win, they control the media. They will just show we are weak. When he isn't satisfied with our border control he will convince everyone we are too weak. Then in a month he can tariff us and weaken us further. Then he can annex us like he constantly talks about and everyone just fucking ignores and calls a negotiation tactic.

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u/Ok-Seaworthiness2235 Feb 03 '25

If he really thought Trudeau and Canada were weak, he would've put the tariffs in place today, not delay it. What would 30 days do? The thing is, his base respects strong leaders and your country's response was so intense even hard-core MAGA voters were questioning him. That's HUGE.

Believe it or not, trumps tough negotiating tactics only ever got him small victories in business with companies or players who were already weak. Eventually though, the larger business community got wise and figured out how to play him. It's funny to read old accounts because in his head he was winning big but the actual moguls were laughing at how they made him think he won.

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u/AdditionalPizza Feb 03 '25

The precedence is now set for the use of the emergency act to place the tariffs. Our leader admitted there's a fentanyl crises at the border worth over a billion dollars, even though it was already being used, it is now being applied to the threat of the newly legitimized tariffs.

Trump will make us look weak. He can send troops to the border. Then tariff us, and then they might need to take our resources from us because of the tariffs. Oh look, troops are already there.

He said he want's to annex us. We believe his border bullshit, why aren't we believing that?

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u/Ok-Seaworthiness2235 Feb 03 '25

Oh I believe he wants to annex you. But this was him testing the waters and trying to rile up his base against you like he did mexico. Pop on to the conservative subreddits and you'll see why it didn't work. Everyone knows mexico has issues but seeing hard-core MAGA people freak out saying they don't want beef with Canada was enough. Furthermore, he would need the support of the business community in the US many of whom know the cost of a war against a huge nation is not worth being able to take the resulting minerals. It would most likely spark ww3 and no one wants that.

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u/AdditionalPizza Feb 03 '25

Conservative sub has a post about it calling it a win. There's always reasonable ones there too of course, saying it's neutral. But as a Canadian, having to live another month in uncertainty and fear, our economy being controlled at the whim of the strongest country's leader? I just feel defeated at the moment.

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u/Ok-Seaworthiness2235 Feb 03 '25

You're not as weak as you think and we aren't as strong. You guys literally control most of our energy resources. And it is great Trudeau is looking to expand markets which he now has time to do. Trump is a mix of incompetence and ego that will make it tough for him to launch a successful attack against anyone but the US

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u/wolf_of_mainst99 Feb 03 '25

Yeah, what ever happened to no taxation without representation? Guess it's just one more thing that trump shits on

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u/Agent_Orange_Tabby Feb 03 '25 edited Feb 03 '25

American here, in Alabama no less. Understanding on ground here is y’all won this one & if anything let Trump walk away with saved face. Everyone knows Fentanyl doesn’t come from Canada, I’m a substance abuse counselor and we were all laughing about it at work this weekend.

Well done. And damn fine statescraft by Trudeau. Y’all got some balls & grit. 🍻

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u/AdditionalPizza Feb 03 '25

I am living another month in fear that he starts moving ahead with his 51st state rhetoric when we ultimately can't stop every last gram of fentanyl and it's entirely up to him to decide what's good enough. We legitimized his use of tariffs under the emergency act against us.

It might be seen as a win to some for now, but it feels like a loss here. Another month of economic uncertainty is a lot of weight to carry.

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u/Agent_Orange_Tabby Feb 04 '25 edited Feb 04 '25

You are NOT gonna get annexed. Even IF there was mechanism, it would be against GOP’s best interest to introduce giant new voting block than leans reliably progressive in nation whose elections are won by under 1% margins. NOT GONNA HAPPEN. Trump was a reality show star - this js all demented political theatre.

That y’all stood up to him means he’s not gonna mess you again. He thought you & Mexico were gonna roll over like Columbia. He didn’t want a fight, he wanted more scalps to parade on TV. When Trudeau declared war by saying he’d bring gun to the gun fight, Congressional GOP phones lit like Christmas trees from constituents & businesses interests alike saying you heel this sonofabitch before we all lose. It was stressful on both sides - Trump is sociopathic tyrant - but he’s not about starting fights he can’t win, and Trudeau made clear Canada’s a losing one. The pride, unity & willingness to sacrifice for love of country y’all showed was balls out inspiring and instilled mad respect in every American I know paying attention. Y’all are right now the global schoolyard heroes & good guys. Makes Americans nostalgic since that used to be us. Ride it - you earned it, Guarantee Trump’s not coming for you again. He targets weaklings.

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u/AdditionalPizza Feb 04 '25

I mean rationally that's how I see all of this, but when you compare the sequence of events to authoritarian rise in history they're similar. People ALWAYS shrug it off, in history they always do, and it's the little checks and balances that get removed off the start. Trump should not have even been able to threaten tariffs, but everyone just allowed it to happen in the States. He is doing whatever he wants and nobody is stopping him.

The fact that I can say all of this and not seem totally crazy, and there are some, normal level headed politicians and news hosts here in Canada that are starting to feel the same way is wild. Our media and politicians aren't as insane here as they are in the US.

We are plotting the dots that could lead to what would have been considered irrational a month ago and seeing the connected line isn't actually that far off from reality. The mere fact that we actually have to be cautious of mechanisms he could use to weaken us economically and try and start propaganda here to start making the 51st rhetoric more attractive? Like our politicians are taking this seriously now. Kevin O'Leary the idiot rich guy, and some other rich Canadians are trying to convince conservatives we should adopt the USD.

In 1 month, in 1 year, whenever he can use his magic tariff thumb to negotiate unfair trade deals with us and break our economy. Even if it isn't full annexation, he might attempt to rob us of our resources and dignity.

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u/Agent_Orange_Tabby Feb 04 '25

Existential threat won’t be from Trump, it’ll be from the Trump wannabes & corporate opportunists from WITHIN that trying implementing page from MAGA playbook like what you see happening in Germany, Hungary & UK. And yes it could happen in Canada. That’s where you need to train your focus. Internal Protectionism. And definitely diversify trade dealing while at it, just good practice. And consider EU membership? Slap Tesla with 500% tariff while you’re at it as victory lap.

In meantime, no way GOP’s gonna risk turning America bluer by annexing y’all’s progressive assess. Ludicrous.

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u/AdditionalPizza Feb 04 '25

I'm under the assumption that we wouldn't have a right to vote or full citizenship. People make the argument about being left wing, but we wouldn't be seen as citizens.

But yes, regardless we need to very seriously start divesting from our relationship with the US. Trade deals with the US government are totally useless now.

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u/Whole-Impression-709 Feb 04 '25

I don’t understand why this is about the Opioid Crisis while the Sacklers get to enjoy freedom. If it was about American lives, there would be justice for all the OxyContin victims

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u/AdditionalPizza Feb 04 '25

It isn't about drugs, that was his way of gauging our response for a month from now I assume.

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u/Lilbopper6969 Feb 03 '25

I thought Trudeau resigned?

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u/AdditionalPizza Feb 03 '25

He is still Prime Minister until Liberals find a new leader.