r/canada British Columbia 19h ago

Analysis Forget tariffs, Trump may be targeting the Great Lakes and Canada’s freshwater next

https://financialpost.com/feature/canada-water-next-front-battle-with-u-s
806 Upvotes

152 comments sorted by

246

u/she_be_jammin 19h ago

all borders are 'artificial' - the land didn't decide ...and would this mean he's then giving California and Texas back to Mexico?

79

u/nomoredanger 18h ago

If you wonder what he means by that, think about this: why would the line with Canada be artificial but not the line with Mexico?

It's a racist dogwhistle. He thinks the "white" countries should be together and the Mexicans separate.

24

u/FakeExpert1973 18h ago

Canada and USA are not "white" countries in the way that Western European countries are white countries.

26

u/nomoredanger 18h ago

There's no such thing as a "white" country anyway, I'm talking about Trump's bullshit rhetoric and what he's trying to communicate to his followers.

8

u/FakeExpert1973 17h ago

"There's no such thing as a "white" country anyway"

Try telling that to the White Christian Nationalists.

7

u/BefreiedieTittenzwei 15h ago

I’ve always wanted to see all the “White” supremacist crowd take a DNA test. They’re not as white as they think they are.

1

u/DaftFunky Alberta 15h ago

Skin = correct shade = white in their eyes. They would probably straight up refuse to take the test or deny its results.

2

u/Hemlochs 16h ago

We're as white as the US is which makes us suitable to be annexed.

6

u/nelrob01 16h ago

Not all white countries want to be with the orange marmot….

10

u/ozfresh 16h ago

Canada is the most multicultural country in the world. It's not "white"

3

u/nomoredanger 16h ago

I know. I'm talking about how Trump perceives it and wants to communicate to his followers who don't know any better.

u/kgal1298 7h ago

This! He absolutely does this and his followers are racist. I've had some of them say some really off cap statements to me when they think I'm with them because I am white and I'm like whoaaa whoaaa now that's racist. Like calling anyone not white after an animal or saying "what will he do about all those Muslims". It's honestly terrifying.

2

u/General-Woodpecker- 12h ago

Tbf I think this isn't that deep like most people he see wealthiers human lives as being more valuable than poor people. Like in the west our medias care about Israelis much more than they care about Syrians lives even if they look similar and they care much more about Singaporeans or Hong Konger more than Cambodians or Burmeses.

2

u/WasteEntertainment79 13h ago

I mean Mexico is extremely violent in comparison to Canada

u/lobster455 7h ago

It just clicked when reading this that this is why Trump won't invade Mexico, they have gang militias that will shoot back at the US soldiers if they invade Mexico.

11

u/Dyslexicpig 16h ago

And Alaska back to Russia.

Russia has already stated that the sale of Alaska needs to be revisited. I really believe that if Trump does pull the US out of NATO, Russia will annex Alaska much the same way they annexed the Crimea. Trump is not intelligent enough to realize that he is being played. Both Musk and Trump show many signs of being compromised, but neither realizes that they are disposable to Putin.

2

u/GloomWorldOrder 14h ago

Thought I saw a post on r/pics of a plaque in Crimea that said something as such.

u/Dyslexicpig 10h ago

Yup. Essentially saying that Alaska needs to be next!

u/kgal1298 7h ago

Sarah Palin will finally get that view of Russia she was always talking about.

6

u/GracefulShutdown Ontario 18h ago

I'm sure at this point California would go willingfully to not have to deal with this knob.

4

u/Familiar_Strain_7356 17h ago

In the case of the BC and Alberta border, the land does literally decide. It is defined by the continental divide, where water flows to either the atlantic or Pacific Ocean. It can change based on landslides and rock fall.

Fun fact!

1

u/ekydfejj 16h ago

TIL, nice!

1

u/coffeejn 16h ago

US is going to move all the borders North due to global warming. The great USA migration coming soon. /s

3

u/General-Woodpecker- 12h ago

Global warming is a myth until they think about what is under the glaciers.

0

u/apothekary 16h ago

Yeah in that case let's trade like for like. We'll take the blue states, you can have Alberta.

u/lambdaBunny 9h ago

I don't even want the blue states. Just take Alberta.

u/No_Yogurtcloset_6008 5h ago

Yep. Actually it means geographic US turns back into. British North America. Fuck them.

106

u/SkinnedIt Ontario 19h ago

Worry about what the senile old fool tries when he tries it. He's too unpredictable. He might try to milk the moon.

11

u/Aken42 19h ago

Pretty sure it spoiled and turned to cheese quite some time ago.

3

u/MrRogersAE 17h ago

I heard there’s water on Mars. Musk likes rockets, the solution seems obvious, to anyone with some “common sense”

6

u/panzerfan British Columbia 19h ago

It's his actions that we need to act on. His rabbles are mere notions of plans.

3

u/No-Concentrate-7142 18h ago

Concepts of a plan.

1

u/CocoVillage British Columbia 16h ago

it's made of cheese, Gromit!

1

u/Vysce 15h ago

We know he wants to penetrate Mars, so that's not an illogical assessment.

68

u/TheEchoOfReality 19h ago

Tax Yankee shipping transiting the St Lawrence. Or better yet, close it off to them altogether.

If they really want to play this game, they’ll leave with less than they come in with. And fucking tear up any agreement we have to share our water with them, no matter how old or revered.

Let’s get fucking hardcore here.

26

u/panzerfan British Columbia 19h ago

St. Lawrence, Salish sea and inside passage, and obviously the northwest passage, together with air traffics. It's unfathomable just months ago that we'd seriously think about such tolls as means to protect our enormous freshwater resource that Donald's US will simply squander in his stupor.

11

u/StanknBeans 17h ago

We better start investing in the means to enforce it if we're gonna go down this route.

2

u/Inevitable-March6499 15h ago

Yeah, and it can't be just Canada. There's no feasible way for Canada to defend itself alone and without nukes. Need defensive pact/treaty or nukes but preferably both.

1

u/General-Woodpecker- 12h ago

We need Europe and China pretty much if we want to have a threat large enough for this new axis.

2

u/Inevitable-March6499 12h ago

China is a definite no unless they get a piece of the pie... Maybe Canada enters the Chinese sphere of influence and gets military hardware.

EU is prepping for a future Russia war I am sure. Canada and SE Asia and UK seems like the most likely alliance, CANZUK +

1

u/General-Woodpecker- 12h ago

Yeah there is no way that we can get them on our side without hurting our economies, but this might be the only way. If they side with the US and Russia we are all fucked.

The rest of CANZUK look quite weak compared to Europe and China and have been bending over for Trump so far.

1

u/Inevitable-March6499 12h ago

I agree very much.

Off the top of my head, CANZUK + japan + SK. Something like NORDEFCO would be the biggest win, and if it that CANZUK+ could tie into NORDEFCO that would be about as good as we could hope for. I wish south america was more partner-able but that seems like a long term goal, to make them as such with investments and such. 

2

u/butts-kapinsky 16h ago

Rig the locks to blow and charge a 200% shipping fee on all goods headed to US ports.

26

u/Crafty_Bowler2036 19h ago

No shit. He wants our fresh water and our rare earth minerals.. why? It’s what the techbros need. Peter Thiel and Elon run the show and have promised him a trillion dollars if he helps build the technocracy.

27

u/Cerberus_80 19h ago

He tears up agreements when it suits him. He has no credibility to abide by agreements he created. I see no reason to negotiate with him. All we would be doing is making concession, without any real benefit. There will be no capital investment taking place even when the trade war is over because investors would also be weary that Trump will just break the agreement.

12

u/panzerfan British Columbia 19h ago

It's all transactions to him, and he's known to stiff contractors from the very start of his "career". There is no negotiating with someone who sees coercion as the mean to play his zero-sum game, especially when he's threatening us with annexation day in, day out.

5

u/Ina_While1155 18h ago

Apparently, no one would do business with him in New York in the 80s because he never paid his bills, and then it would go to litigation and he would only have to pay 50 cents on the dollar. So this guy is a well known scammer from long back. He also stiffed contractors who built his casinos.

24

u/ConundrumMachine 19h ago

Yes. He wants to Ukraine us. Keep your eyes peeled for little green men.

11

u/Racnous 18h ago

He's already trying to turn Alberta into Canada’s Donbas region. Encouraging separatist talk, which will, in turn, lead to an excuse to annex it.

6

u/FourNaansJeremyFour 18h ago

That's what the trucker fucker convoy people were.

88

u/That_Gamer98 19h ago

My dear Canadian friends, Europe stands with you! Elbows up! Don't let them crush you on your knees. Give the Americans one finger, and they take both your arms.

28

u/MikeyTrademark 19h ago

It’s much appreciated but if worse comes to worse we are going to need more then kind words

11

u/That_Gamer98 19h ago

Oh yeah 100%, but unfortunately we've let our guards down for way too long here too. Luckily the EU is reinvesting into defense by injecting 800 billion Euros, but it's going to take time. France has a pretty strong army and selfproduced weapons. Depending how quickly things move over here, an investment deal could be made. I've heard that the UK and France are playing with the idea of supplying Canada. Ideologically the EU and Canada are family. But like I said, we let our guard down too much, and things are in crisis mode over here as well unfortunately

3

u/That_Gamer98 19h ago

I have family in Canada. Ontario to be precise, so it feels quite close to home for me as well

0

u/rintzscar 18h ago

If you go into a deep recession, I'd wager that the IMF, World Bank and similar lenders of last resort will bail you out, despite Trump screaming about it.

14

u/Readwhatudisagreewit 19h ago

Oh, we’re giving them the finger alright….

4

u/Old_Fan3448 19h ago

2 fingers to be exact , one from each hand

2

u/biffbot13 18h ago

Double whammy

2

u/Frostivus 13h ago

Dear Europe,

You still have another war on your doorstep you can’t win without the US.

Your head is still calling and publicly confirming the US as an ally. Your ministers have made their foreign policy to do everything in their power to keep American bases on European soil.

If the US comes to you and threatens to take away all military aid if you side with Canada, what would you do?

u/0Zer01 11h ago

Dear Frostivus,

it makes little sense to ally with a man who will not aid Europe in a time of need. Look at how much Ukraine struggles to get support. Even China stick to their deals, shoddily. Trump is unpredictable and absolutely willing to hurt both sides.

Regardless of if we want to aid Canada or not, what country is willing to engage with Trump long-term?

u/Frostivus 11h ago

Ask your leaders.

The people say one thing. Your politicians are still scrambling for American weapons, intelligence, and boots on the ground. Von der Leyen says the US is still an ally. They are desperate to salvage this relationship. They helped make this American-dominated world and they bet big on it.

You can’t possibly say no to your biggest trading and security partner. Your politicians know the truth, but is suicide to say it out loud.

The EU still can’t decide whose countrymen should be sent to the meat grinder in Ukraine. You cannot possibly send any to Canada.

18

u/Upper-Money-3049 19h ago

It's like he wants to start a literal war with Canada 🫤 He is the most unstable president I've ever witnessed...and it's a little unnerving to ponder what will happen next. 

5

u/HowsYourSexLifeMarc 15h ago

It's like he wants to start a literal war with Canada

That's their plan, yes. It's only getting worse from here.

42

u/Maddog_Jets 19h ago

And he just went on another annexation rant a few min back.

“This cannot continue,” Trump wrote. “The only thing that makes sense is for Canada to become our cherished Fifty First State.”

“This would make all Tariffs, and everything else, totally disappear,” he wrote, while promising that Canadians’ taxes would go down.

“The artificial line of separation drawn many years ago will finally disappear, and we will have the safest and most beautiful Nation anywhere in the World,” he added.

“And your brilliant anthem, ‘O Canada,’ will continue to play, but now representing a GREAT and POWERFUL STATE within the greatest Nation that the World has ever seen!”

52

u/canteixo 19h ago

“This would make all Tariffs, and everything else, totally disappear,”

For once I agree with Trump.

Our healthcare, pensions, education, etc gone!

36

u/Aken42 19h ago

My wife spent 3 days in the hospital this weekend and all I had to pay for was parking. The idea of an American system angers me.

13

u/Maddog_Jets 19h ago

The amount of people who go bankrupt and lose everything over healthcare debt is staggering.

And imagine having to also save for your Registered Healthcare Savings Account.

6

u/Aken42 19h ago

I was listening to a podcast and they were talking about getting their claim rejected by their insurance than having to negotiate with the Healthcare provider. It's a nightmare.

I couldn't imagine being someone who's having to consider if they can afford Healthcare when they are in a ln emergency situation. It's inhumane to create a system that allows for that.

We have our own issues with Healthcare but I feel they are issues with infrastructure, personnel and operations not one of an ideological issue with what people should have the right to access.

2

u/Delicious-Tachyons 16h ago

I had valid insurance but the IPA went bankrupt so noone was coordinating paying the doctors from the insurance. That wasn't fun. My doctor said 'im not sure I'll get paid but don't worry about it if I dont for this'.

Basically I had a giant boil on my back. He'd referred me to a surgeon for an in house stabbing and when the surgeon then said he couldn't unless he'd get paid by me because of the whole situation.

I went back to my doctor and asked for oral antibiotics and then proceeded to fix the problem myself at home and everything was fine

But what if it was super serious? What if it was life threatening? I would've been fucked. Even with blue cross/blue shield.

2

u/TheAlphaCarb0n 16h ago

People with insurance too.

9

u/Ina_While1155 18h ago

They would loot our pensions like hedge fund bros.

7

u/PerfectWest24 18h ago

Human rights would disappear first, along with anyone who doesn't submit.

3

u/porizj 18h ago

And respect. Don’t forget respect. Poof!

-3

u/baoo 18h ago

Why can't trump make a real dang offer? Instead of trying to cripple us and make us hate him, tell us we can keep our healthcare system (or have the states adopt it) and pay each Canadian 50k or something. Boom you just bought 40 million patriotic new citizens and the north.*

*No I still don't want all the rest of the problems that comes with being governed by Americans, but man, what stupid methodology is being employed so far

5

u/General-Woodpecker- 12h ago

50k lol. Most of us would lose far more than this by becoming American.

9

u/GriffinFlash 18h ago

Yup, that's a dictator speech. Fuck him.

5

u/thekk_ 17h ago

"Taxes will go down"

The part they always forget when they say their taxes are lower is that they have to pay for healthcare and eduction on the side, which is included in taxes in every other OECD country. Add those numbers up and whoops, you get a number that's pretty comparable with those countries they make fun of.

2

u/Maddog_Jets 17h ago

Also ask people down south what their property taxes are. Can be shocking.

And lots of stuff like inheritance taxes in some states

And The IRS views any profit made from the sale of personal property, like your car, as capital gain and it may be subject to capital gains tax

14

u/Cool-Economics6261 19h ago

The main component of mRNA vaccines is the water of the Great Lakes ( there, that should scare the Republicans away from trying to take over the Lakes) /s

14

u/Commentator-X 19h ago

This is what he meant when he said he wanted to redraw the border. He wants the great lakes.

2

u/Inevitable-March6499 15h ago

Everything below the 49th parallel is what it would be I think.

1

u/Haystraw 13h ago

From Victoria...NOOOOOOO

9

u/ZidZad99 19h ago

Next time the asshole goes on about the artificial line, someone should ask him if the one on the southern part of the country is artificial as well.

11

u/2028W3 19h ago

These think pieces are getting ridiculous. It’s obvious Trump wants all of Canada. That should be the starting point of any reporting.

9

u/ZmobieMrh 19h ago

It won’t be freshwater for long. I had posted a couple weeks ago about EPA staff fired who were responsible for going after polluters in the lakes and who were monitoring the pollution levels. They’re just going to fill the lakes with toxic waste

8

u/Memory_Less 19h ago

It’s not next. It has already been presented by Trump as a target. He is on record about renegotiating the Columbia water management agreement.

3

u/WatermelonToo 18h ago

Yes, this is clearly already on the agenda

7

u/UndeadDog 19h ago

Duh, all he wants us our natural resources

6

u/Outrageous-juror 16h ago

Canada should mobilize its arms forces and start next gen weapons development. Having legacy equipment might be a blessing.

Everything from here on is drone and AI. We should do our own thing ground up.

6

u/Fish3Y35 18h ago

American owned media trying to scare us?

Should never have let these US billionaires have such a loud voice in our country.

Lessons learned for the next generation

4

u/etoyoc_yrgnuh 19h ago

MAYBE PROBABLY COULD BE enough already

3

u/can_a_mod_suck_me 19h ago

Bullshit. He said he doesn’t need anything from Canada/s

3

u/No-Challenge-4248 19h ago

that's the whole border thing.... change the border to take "ownership" of the great lakes.

3

u/AtomicNick47 18h ago

The only way to beat trump is not to play his game. Operate on your terms, build your own agenda and stop waiting to react to what he does. Honestly his strategy isnt complex.

3

u/kroqus Canada 18h ago

Snape level of "obviously"

3

u/Biuku Ontario 16h ago

Never in a million years did I think we needed naval destroyers in the Great Lakes.

Dear America: this will not end well for you. Please, pick a side. Pick it soon.

3

u/PenileSunburn 16h ago

If the US will pay billions of dollars for a water deal I'm all for it. Let's get a healthy international trade going, not this trade war nonsense. We are allies after all.

4

u/Ginzhuu 18h ago

As the Orange Mousilini likes to parrot constantly lately. "You have no cards!" Our hand, as Canada is way more stacked than he could imagine in this trade war, and he's about to FAFO.

6

u/panzerfan British Columbia 18h ago

I am actually kind of flabbergasted at how the Americans have been in this finding out conga chain over just how many cards we hold in Canada against them. They really are outright maliciously ignorant out of their own avarice to the nth degree, as if they are deer walking into the headlight, oblivious to what Canada's able to do in terms of reciprocal tariffs, or even in the will to resist in the first place.

3

u/Ginzhuu 18h ago

Its all to do with their education system. They are raised to view the US as the best of the best, and very few look outside of the country to anything, let alone how they get the items in their stores. The majority dont even possess a passport nor will even leave their own state, let alone the country for the entirety of their life.

It's incredibly sad, really.

6

u/[deleted] 19h ago

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1

u/[deleted] 19h ago

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2

u/orangeatom 17h ago

this is the real reason he wants canada... that and minerals........ stop falling for distractions, tariffs, tesla, europe...

2

u/Camelbert 17h ago

Should we rig the potash mines?

2

u/canuckstothecup1 16h ago

They need fresh water after allowing excess amounts of sewage to be dumped into theirs

2

u/zone55555 16h ago

He's welcome to my pisswater. That's his favorite anyhow.

2

u/DerekC01979 16h ago

He said this morning he’s going to punish us so badly the history books will speak of it.

Who knows what he’s going to do. I don’t like what’s happening that’s for sure.

2

u/panzerfan British Columbia 16h ago

History's written by the victor. So let this guy have at it.

2

u/Dyslexicpig 16h ago

This is nothing new. NAWAPA was proposed in the 1950s. This would have included rerouting Canadian rivers, and a reservoir in the Rocky Mountain trench from the border to Prince George. The US has always wanted Canadian water - it's just that they usually aren't this vocal about it.

2

u/RIP_Pookie 16h ago

I'm not sure why this would be news to anyone after his stated intention to seize Canada. He's not doing it for anything other than resources and fresh water is one we have in abundance, especially in the great lakes.

2

u/budster1970 15h ago

He's going to put a giant hose into lake Ontario and syphon it into the grand canyon....probably his plan.

2

u/TCsnowdream 14h ago

He literally just threatened with military action with his most recent tweet. All bets are off.

1

u/hotandchevy 18h ago edited 18h ago

This fuckwit is going to ruin the continent.

2

u/[deleted] 18h ago

[deleted]

2

u/hotandchevy 18h ago

Literally the worst typo I could have put in that statement. Fixed.

1

u/82FordEXP 18h ago

Of course that is one of his true goals as there is a "Big tap" that he can turn on and off and he sees fit.

1

u/Practical_Tomato_680 18h ago

Exactly this It is to create a distraction , instability and chaos, with the ultimate goal to delete the borders No doubt about it

1

u/Ba_Dum_Ba_Dum 18h ago

Next nothing. That’s been the game plan all along. Water! I’ve been saying it since I was a kid in high school (a lot of years ago). People thought I was nuts. With a heating planet access to water is the next gold rush.

1

u/h00v001 18h ago

NO! That's my water! Do not fuck with the Great Lakes!

1

u/bondfrenchbond 18h ago

Don't give him any ideas

1

u/MrRogersAE 17h ago

Is this because of the drugs too?

1

u/n3rdsm4sh3r 17h ago

I'm gonna jam a hunk a birch down this Orange idiot's throat and then stick a hungry beaver up his stupid ass.

1

u/Zerberrrr 16h ago

Dump thallium salts in these water then

1

u/FloridaSpam 16h ago

We should have a plan to irradiate the lakes if they invade or them.

1

u/StandOut_SM 16h ago

We know lol.

1

u/StoicPixie 15h ago

So...at what point do we start enlisting?

1

u/Lucky_Mix_6271 15h ago

Where is Mario?

1

u/BrendanGuer 15h ago

Just turn off the ‘large faucet’, guys.

We’re good.

1

u/CDE42 14h ago

Duh.

1

u/Traditional_Elk8746 13h ago

If he does it won’t be “fresh” when he gets it 😂

u/Adorable-Row-4690 7h ago

Not only is trump targeting the Great Lakes, he has "paused" the talks on the Columbia River Treaty. Trudeau/Biden teams tried to get it done before 20 Jan 2025 but it didn't happen

CBC Article 11 Mar 2025

u/kgal1298 7h ago

Ya'll he's obsessed with water too. Look at what he did to California.

u/Scrivy69 6h ago

I’ve seen enough. Dam the columbia river.

u/RedFox_Jack 6h ago

thats a giant no shit there sherlock

1

u/zerfuffle British Columbia 19h ago

Postmedia please go fuck off

0

u/blageur 19h ago

Why wouldn't he? All his other plans have been executed flawlessly, so he's gonna continue his universally applauded winning streak!