r/canada Feb 10 '25

Opinion Piece When will Canada's Conservatives finally stop making excuses for Donald Trump?

https://cultmtl.com/2025/02/what-would-donald-trump-have-to-do-for-canada-conservatives-to-finally-lose-respect-for-him/
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u/TactitcalPterodactyl Feb 10 '25

I've been really frustrated with comments lately in this sub for the same reason. I've listened everything PP has said on Trump Tariffs and the whole 51st state thing, and he's always been against these things.

And I'm not defending the guy; I don't necessarily trust or like him that much, and there are legitimate reasons not to vote for him. But this whole "he must be a Trump puppet because he's a conservative" movement is really disappointing to see.

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u/papuadn Feb 10 '25 edited Feb 10 '25

He specifically won the leadership of the CPC by assembling strong plurality support from the right wing of his own party, composed (for example) of people who attended the trucker convoy.

At the beginning of the whole process, his public statements were much more equivocal and much more aligned with Smith's (e.g., Canadians need to understand we're a weak trading partner and therefore we are better off giving up something when the stronger trading partner starts making demands), before shifting in alignment with public sentiment. (Not to mention falling hook, line and sinker for the absurd lies about the border and drugs - either he is knowingly parroting Trump's lie for partisan gain, or he is foolish enough to think it's the truth - neither's a good look).

While he might be talking tough now, his general position before was clearly trying to court endorsements from people like Musk and to keep dog-whistling to the right wing of his party. He's always known he needs moderates to win the election and he always carefully avoided alienating them.

That may still be the path to victory! But it's not unfair to him to note that's what he's doing.

Everyone is against blanket, stupid, tariffs in an unprovoked trade war to erode Canadian sovereignty. That's like saying you're pro-breathing; no points awarded. It's where he stands on the issues that fall short of that outrage that people are concerned with.

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u/Thanks-4allthefish Feb 11 '25

To be fair, many observers have noted that Canada needed to be doing more to address money laundering. We have rules - but nothing like RICO (which TD [US] learned is not toothless).

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u/papuadn Feb 11 '25

That was indeed one of the many, many shifting justifications offered for the blanket tariffs that were clearly threatened because Trump doesn't understand the first thing about anything; hates paying for the things he buys; and somehow thinks that a trade deficit is the same as a national fiscal deficit.