Shocking statements from the Conservative MP are massively out of step with Canadians.
In comments that can only be described as massively out of step with what the overwhelming majority of Canadians think about the U.S., Conservative MP Jamil Jivani has blamed Canada for Donald Trump’s hostility to trade with Canada, and again insulted the Canadian People by referring to our righteous anger towards the Trump Administration as an “anti-American hissy fit.”
Jivani made the comments in an interview with the right-wing U.S. website Breitbart News, a further questionable move given how unpopular the U.S. right is among the overwhelming majority of Canadians:
“We share the largest border in the world. We have to work together. But for Canada in particular, three-quarters of our exports go through the United States,” he added. “We are shooting ourselves in the foot if we continue this anti-America… hissy fit, and this is the kind of reason I’m trying to talk into our government and some of the liberals who have just gone way off the reservation on this.”
“Jivani emphasized he wants to see a “willingness” from Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to engage in dialogue, adding that while Mexico and the United States have made progress on trade talks, the same cannot be said for Canada. Jivani said it is a “red flag” that Canada is unable to make progress but Mexico is.”
“It’s a huge red flag, right, because it shows that progress is possible,” he said. “Why is it not happening with Canada? And you know, the ball is in Prime Minister Mark Carney’s court. Like I’ve offered to help him, I think it’d be awesome if we went down there together. I think we’d get a lot done working together. But he’s got to decide whether that’s something he wants to do or not. I’ve met with his minister in charge of U.S.-Canada trade. I’ve talked to him. I’ve made clear that to me, this is not about fighting with the prime minister. This is about trying to get something done for the good of our country. It’s up to him whether he wants to do it or not.”
Jivani again criticized Canada for seeking alternative trade partners like China (something the vast majority of Canadians support) and again blamed Canadians for “anti-American resentment”.
“I think the only reason why this was even possible is because so much anti-American resentment has been ginned up among, you know, liberals in Canada, and so it made China look better,”.
Jivani sides with Trump over Canada
You are now seeing the pattern with Jivani’s comments. He never acknowledges where Canadians’ anger towards the Trump Administration comes from. He never acknowledges Trump’s annexation threats, ever-changing demands, and deliberate effort to inflict economic pain on Canadians to force us to give up our sovereignty. Jivani pretends none of that exists, and then acts as if Canadians are angry for some sort of unknowable irrational reason.
Jivani also ignores that Canada was engaged in good-faith talks with the U.S., which were then ended when Trump got angry about a mild TV ad that simply repeated the pro-trade comments of former U.S. President Ronald Reagan. Notably, Jivani ignores this while also ignoring real interference – the Trump Administration meeting with those trying to make Alberta separate from Canada. By ignoring all of this, and by blaming Canadians and our Prime Minister for Trump’s actions, Jivani has effectively chosen to side with the Trump Administration rather than with Canada and the Canadian People.
Stark contrast with former Prime Minister Stephen Harper
As you look at Jivani’s ‘blame Canada’ rhetoric, you also see the massive contrast from former Prime Minister Stephen Harper. In recent remarks, Harper spoke about the clear threat to Canada’s economy and sovereignty posed by the Trump Administration, while also noting that Canada needed to get our domestic policy right to make our nation less vulnerable and control what we can control. That kind of balance (neither excusing the past decade of questionable policy, nor excusing Trump’s anti-Canadian actions) is a stark contrast from Jivani’s remarks. Rather than seeking balance, Jivani simply sides with the Trump Administration, blames Canada, and seeks to delegitimize the righteous anger of the Canadian People.
Canadians need to hear from Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre directly on this. Does the Official Opposition take the balanced position expressed by Harper, or is Jamil Jivani in charge and pushing the CPC’s foreign policy in a pro-Trump direction that blames the Canadian People for the actions of an unstable, unreliable, and untrustworthy U.S. Administration? Canadians need to know.
Spencer Fernando
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