Etiquette



DP Etiquette

First rule: Don't be a jackass.

Other rules: Do not attack or insult people you disagree with. Engage with facts, logic and beliefs. Out of respect for others, please provide some sources for the facts and truths you rely on if you are asked for that. If emotion is getting out of hand, get it back in hand. To limit dehumanizing people, don't call people or whole groups of people disrespectful names, e.g., stupid, dumb or liar. Insulting people is counterproductive to rational discussion. Insult makes people angry and defensive. All points of view are welcome, right, center, left and elsewhere. Just disagree, but don't be belligerent or reject inconvenient facts, truths or defensible reasoning.

Saturday, March 15, 2025

djt's false claims about Canada

I checked some of what djt has said about Canada. In 2025 djt made the following false statements:

1. Lied in saying that the Canadian public likes the idea of becoming the 51st state, which only about 10% of Canadian residents, not all of whom are Canadian citizens, support. (Verification: Angus Reid Institute Poll (January 2025): About 10% of Canadians would support Canada joining the U.S., while a significant 90% oppose the idea 1 3. Leger Poll (December 2024): 13% of Canadians favor becoming the 51st state, with 82% opposed. Support is higher among Conservative and People's Party voters 4. Ipsos Poll (February 2025): While a strong majority want Canada to remain independent, about 30% would consider annexation if offered U.S. citizenship and conversion of financial assets to U.S. dollars 5.)

2. Said the US trade deficit with Canada is “$200 billion.” Yet it was less than one-fifth that figure: on goods and services some $35.7 billion in 2024. Even if you only count trade in goods the deficit was $70.6 billion. (Verification: Correct. The U.S. trade deficit with Canada in goods and services was approximately $35.7 billion in 2024, and for goods alone, it was $70.6 billion 2.)

3. Has argued that Canada is one of the world’s highest-tariff countries. In fact, Canada is among the lowest tariff nations internationally, lower on average than the U.S. Canada was just 102nd-highest on a World Bank list of 137 countries’ trade-weighted average tariff rates in 2022. That is a lower average (1.37%) than the United States (1.49%) had that year ... the most recent for which the data is available. (Verification: Canada ranks 102nd in trade-weighted average tariff rates among 137 countries, with an average rate of 1.37% compared to the U.S.'s 1.49% in 2022 5. Ipsos Poll (February 2025): While a strong majority want Canada to remain independent, about 30% would consider annexation if offered U.S. citizenship and conversion of financial assets to U.S. dollars 5.)

4. Lied that Canada had hiked its dairy tariffs during the Biden administration. They haven’t changed since Trump’s first presidency when his administration negotiated the USMCA trade Agreement. The Canadian dairy tariffs have never been applied because the USMCA negotiated Canadian tariffs on dairy only if specified dairy products from the U.S. were exceeded, which NONE have. Nevertheless, the USMCA did secure greater US access to the Canadian dairy market. Thus, the fact that the U.S. dairy industry hasn't reached those limits on any of its dairy exports by Canada appears to have more to do with decisions inside the U.S. dairy industry than with Canada. (Verification: Correct. The tariffs were established under the USMCA and have not changed since. They only apply if U.S. dairy exports exceed specified quotas, which has not happened 4.)

5. Said Canada generally doesn’t “take” US agricultural exports. Canada is the world’s second-largest buyer of those exports, some $28.4 billion worth. The EU is the first-largest. Among nations, Canada leads all others. (Verification: Correct. Canada purchased approximately $28.4 billion worth of U.S. agricultural exports in 2024, making it the second-largest importer after the EU 5.)

6. Said that Canada prohibits US banks. Actually, there are 16 U.S.-based bank subsidiaries and branches with around C$113 billion in assets currently operating in Canada. U.S. banks now make up approximately half of all foreign bank assets in Canada. (Verification: Correct. Despite Trump's claims, U.S. banks are active in Canada, with 16 U.S.-based banks holding significant assets 6.)

7. Said Canada is “constantly surrounded” by Chinese and Russian ships. This is outright fiction. Canada has never been surrounded by Russian and Chinese ships, let alone been “constantly” surrounded. In fact, a smattering of Russian and Chinese military ships and jets, as well as Chinese research vessels --viewed with suspicion by Canada and the US-- have been occasionally spotted in recent years in the vicinity of the US state of Alaska – and these are monitored or intercepted by both the Canadian and US militaries. (Verification: Correct. There have been occasional sightings of Russian and Chinese military vessels near Alaska, but Canada has not been surrounded by them 5.)

8. Said that Justin Trudeau was using the ongoing tariff battle to run again for the Prime Minister. Trudeau was being replaced as the Leader of the Liberal Party, so he clearly wasn’t running. In Canada's Parliamentary system, no one runs for the position of Prime Minister. [The Prime Minister is the Leader of the political party garnering the majority of representatives/seats in Parliament and, if a majority of seats is not achieved in an election, the Prime Minister is the Leader of the party able to negotiate a 'Minority' government by securing the confidence of another party. That means that a 'Minority' government can be established by two or more parties working in agreement against a party with the most --but not a majority of-- elected representatives/seats in Parliament.] (Verification: Correct. Trudeau announced his intention to step down as Liberal Party leader, and in Canada's parliamentary system, one does not "run" for Prime Minister 5.) 

9. Said that Canada spends less than 1% of gross domestic product on defense. NATO figures show it was an estimated 1.37% just last year. Moreover, Canada is working to increase the share to 2.0.
Separated by two oceans from potential enemies --and, until Trump recent coup, the U.S. was seen by Canadians as our friend and ally -- so we saw no need for higher defense expenditures. (Verification: Correct. Canada spent an estimated 1.37% of GDP on defense and is working towards reaching the NATO target of 2% 5.)


Geez, what a morally rotted lying liar. He's the King of the Whoppers.