Americans voted for chaos when they elected Donald Trump for a second term as president. And they got it.
Trouble is, so too did many other nations.
While Americans are free to put whoever they wish in the White House, Trump has been a looming disaster for Canadians, and for citizens of other countries, virtually since Jan. 20 when he was sworn in.
In Canada, we have lived under threat of 25 per cent tariffs since before Trump even took office.
Trump supposedly delayed that tax or levy for a month, after a phone call from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, but then unleashed plans for imposing 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum, endangering thousands of Canadian jobs in the process.
Clearly, Canadians are now discovering that Trump cannot be trusted, maybe not at all, ever.
But again, let’s be clear — this is what most American voters wanted.
CNN said Trump won the popular vote in the 2024 presidential election, with 77.3 million ballots for Republican chaos. Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate, got 75 million votes.
It might have helped, of course, if the Democrats had decided before last summer that then-president Joe Biden would not be re-elected if he ran, and that Harris, the vice-president, was their candidate.
Maybe with additional time to pick apart Trump’s platform, the Democrats could have convinced more American voters that the Donald’s plans were not only bad for citizens of the United States, but bad for the global community.
But like I said, they voted for chaos — presumably because that’s what they want.
Or am I off base? I think not.
Canada is one of — if not the — largest trading partner of the United States. Why would Americans want to hurt our economy with tariffs, putting Canadians out of work? We are their closest allies on almost all fronts.
Why does Trump not understand that tariffs will hurt average Americans as well as Canadians?
Trump even has the unmitigated gall to say Canada should be America’s 51st state, that it would be better for all.
Not for Canadians.
The question is what to do about all of this.
The first option is diplomacy, talking to Americans, Trump, to see if acceptable agreements can be made on trade.
The already mentioned problem with this is Trump clearly cannot be trusted to keep his word.
There is also the problem of who speaks for Canada. Trudeau is on his way out, another PM is on his or her way in, but just long enough to call an election in which, the polls suggest, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre will become the next Canadian prime minister.
Poilievre has been called "Trump-light," but Canadians need more than big talk and promises.
We also need one voice speaking for Canadians.
Some days Doug Ford needs reminding he’s the premier of Ontario, not Canada.
So what must be done?
Really, what’s required is Canadian tariffs on most, if not all, American imports, as soon as Trump does the same to Canadian goods.
And average Canadians can do their part by not buying American goods.
All Trump and his gang understand is money, and until Americans begin to feel the economic pinch, they will hitch their horse to Trump and try to walk all over Canadians.
We can’t let that happen without at least putting up a fight, which Trump and his ego will not understand.
By doing so, Canadians will be creating their own particular brand of chaos.
But let’s remember who started it.
Bob Bruton covers city hall for BarrieToday. He’s not a fan of chaos, especially the unnecessary sort, created for its own sake.