Search results

There's little point worrying about "51st state" rhetoric unless you're willing to be at least partly realistic. Canada would not enter as less than a state; it would not enter as a single state. Most new states formed from parts of Canada would lean moderately to heavily Democratic, tilting...

Sure. I can fit parts of any past administration's behaviour to "fascism" or "authoritarianism", which is why I'm obstinately certain of my assessments - little bits that "look like" don't count. The Authoritarian leader "has" the courts when they - at all levels - pretty much rubber stamp...

When I muse rhetorically on things Canadian politicians might start in Canada to improve GDP growth, I'm being partly facetious. I know that if the politicians didn't have some established interests they don't want to upset, they'd already have moved on things like reducing internal trade...

He'd be an excellent BoC governor. The chance of someone with some particular piece of experience in "finance" being an excellent Finance Minister is probably in the neighbourhood of the chance of someone with some particular piece of experience in "defence" being an excellent MND.

Start executing now on everything. People arguing that Canada is under threat for the next 4 years, and certainly people arguing "the relationship has permanently changed", can't credibly roll out the usual "by the time it's ready..." rhetoric to indefinitely stall.

Little bits and pieces of people acting without authority do not make authoritarianism. Those things happen in pretty much all governments, including those chosen by democratic means, regardless of which political parties dominate. I reiterate, the US is not in imminent danger. When the...

As I've written, we need calm people calling the shots. Canada's sovereignty isn't in imminent danger - we choose how to respond. The US isn't in imminent danger of becoming some authoritarian playground. People who didn't and don't support Trump don't deserve to be dragged into this, and...

A perceived blot on a politician's character. How could such a thing have happened? When conservative politicians are inexperienced, they are attacked for that. When conservative politicians are experienced, they are attacked for that. Now that's unserious.

His unwillingness to take the briefings, irrespective of his reasons, is irrelevant if he is the best of 3 choices for a leader (and party) that will take action to improve the situation.

Annexation isn't a serious concern. People talking about it are wasting their time and unnecessarily aggravating their blood pressure. If we do almost nothing right now and take the forecasted recession ("2% of GDP") on the chin, we'll still be OK. If one aspect that seems to be overlooked...

Trump's administration ends in 4 years. Republicans will most likely lose the House in 2, and it's also a "difficult map" year for Republicans in the Senate. I doubt the tariffs last that long. We ought to take a long view. This "relationship has changed forever" rhetoric emanating from the...

(2) So what? We need to enlist the support of someone who Trump does listen to. Who does he listen to? He listens to "ordinary" Americans. Therefore, we should help Americans to understand the impacts of tariffs on retail prices paid by American consumers. Maintaining and improving good...

Gin is an easy product to get a distillery up and solvent while working on products with longer prep times (eg. whiskies).

If adversaries taking advantage of the situation is a worry, we shouldn't take a second step (Trump took the first) which escalates and militates that situation. People are too easily goaded into following one mistake with another because they can't control their tempers and think rationally...

I suppose I have to make the point more clear. People who think they can out-guess the spontaneously emerging behaviour of markets - Adam Smith's "invisible hand" - pretty much always lose. People are anticipating that product embargoes ought to have the particular effect they desire. I have...

Hitting liquor products is fly-swatting. If the liquor producers can easily find alternate markets, there isn't going to be any resulting political pressure that matters. Liquor producers aren't committed to expensive infrastructure. All they need is willing buyers and some sea-cans. This...

Right, and after US bourbon producers establish relationships in new markets elsewhere, don't expect them to answer the phone when ON and BC come calling asking to be forgiven - especially when BC (Eby) is making it political/personal by directing attention to "red" states. More than one brand...

I do not intend to march to the sound of the guns of August trade. Bad policies are bad policies irrespective of who enacts them. Don't impose tariffs. Don't buy goods and services at higher prices than you have to. Don't restrict international trade flows. Don't restrict intra-national...

He might be referring to the liquor board as a single purchaser. It's not a fact worth paying attention to - if you can legislate a large purchasing monopoly in a sizeable jurisdiction, don't be surprised if it ranks in the top 10.

This isn't all Trudeau's fault. He just is a leader in the mob that sets the tone. Better trade relationships with China will be awesome; China will become our friend and become more liberal with respect to human rights and international relations. We don't need to worry about developing...