Like the Trump Administration, Jivani is trying to push Canada away from diversifying trade, and is blaming Canadians – rather than Donald Trump – for the breakdown in relations caused by the U.S. President’s annexation threats, insults, and tariffs.
Conservative MP Jamil Jivani is currently in the United States. He has framed his visit as part of an effort to get a Canada-U.S. trade deal, seeking to leverage his friendship with U.S. Vice President JD Vance (best known for echoing false claims that Alex Pretti was an ‘assassin’ and berating Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office).
However, a close look at Jivani’s rhetoric indicates he is actually trying to elevate Trump Administration rhetoric and talking points in a way that could undermine Canada’s position at a moment when our economy and sovereignty is under attack from the U.S.
Consider a recent story in Semafor from their White House Correspondent, Shelby Talcott, who interviewed Jivani. In multiple instances, Jivani expresses a view that is in lockstep with that of the Trump Administration. This section in particular is crucial, following Jivani saying he hopes talks with the US “establish to Canada that “we don’t need to go further with China.”“
“It kind of shows to me — before we’re even really doing everything possible to get this done with the US, now we’re willing to work with a government that, less than a decade ago, we were saying was a genocidal state,” Jivani added. “Now, all of a sudden, we’re offering to import their electric vehicles while workers in my community in the auto industry are getting laid off.”
He posited that Canada is more willing to do business with China in part amid a rise of “anti-American” sentiment at home.
“Certainly, there have been people fanning the flames of anti-American resentment in Canada, and I think in doing so, have created an open mindedness to doing business with China,” Jivani said. “It didn’t exist before. So I think that’s part of what set the conditions for that agreement.”
Let’s look at this point by point:
First, saying “we don’t need to go further with China” echoes the Trump Administration’s hypocritical position that it’s fine for Trump to seek all the trade deals he wants with China, but Canada cannot do the same. Further, the recent Canada-China trade deal largely returns things to how they were before Canada imposed tariffs on EVs after the U.S. asked Canada to do so.
Second, by saying “before we’re even really doing everything possible to get this done with the US,” echoes the Trump narrative that falsely blames Canada for a trade war caused by Trump’s tariffs and erratic actions. Trump broke off trade talks – ostensibly due to anger at a mild ad repeating Ronald Reagan’s words on tariffs that Trump had been fine with a few days prior. Canada has also made some good faith concessions on the Digital Sales Tax and countertariffs. It’s the U.S., not Canada, that is holding up trade talks. By ignoring this reality, Jivani is doing the bidding of the Trump Administration by falsely pinning the blame on Canada.
Third, Jivani’s claim that Canadians are “fanning the flames of anti-American resentment in Canada” echoes the Trump narrative that Canadians should just sit back and accept Trump’s attacks on our economy and sovereignty and say thank you for being mistreated. Trump said Canada’s borders were fake, denigrated the sacrifice of NATO troops in Afghanistan, imposed tariffs on Canada with the intention of using economic pain to annex us, has referred to our Prime Minister as“Governor,” and continues to issue threats and insults against us. As a result, Canadian opinions towards the U.S. have grown far more negative, a trend seen almost everywhere in the world (even in places that were once extremely pro-US, like Poland). Claiming this is a result of Canadians “fanning the flames of anti-American resentment”, rather than a result of Trump’s actions, is absurd. And by making that absurd claim, Jivani is insulting the Canadian People and carrying water for an Administration that has treated Canada like garbage.
Fourth, the only takeaway from Jivani’s visit appears to be a ‘message’ from Donald Trump that he “loves” Canadians:
Insulting the sacrifices of our troops, saying our country is fake, and trying to deliberately break our economy to force us to give up our sovereignty is certainly an odd way to express love. Whether wittingly or not, Jivani has allowed himself to be used to spread the messages of a foreign government that consistently expresses open hostility to Canada.
Jivani’s actions risk undermining Canada at a critical moment, a moment when our economy and sovereignty are on the line. It’s a stark contrast from the messages of unity and defence of Canadian sovereignty being shared by Canadians like Stephen Harper and Mark Carney.
Spencer Fernando
Image – Twitter
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