Verbal Aggression Between Allies: Canada in Donald Trump’s Trade War Rhetoric
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12797/Politeja.18.2021.75.05Keywords:
Trump, rhetoric, Trudeau, trade war, economic relations, Canada, United States of AmericaAbstract
The article explores Donald Trump’s protectionist rhetoric relating to bilateral trade relations between Canada and the U.S. In particular, it presents how Trump’s isolationist economic platform evolved into trade war rhetoric and how this rhetoric affected Canada. To that end, the article analyzes President Trump’s statements and policies regarding the renegotiations of NAFTA, his administration’s tariff policies relating to imports of Canadian softwood lumber, steel and aluminum, and Trump’s opinions published in social media, mainly on Twitter. It also takes a comparative look on Donald Trump’s and Justin Trudeau’s ideological profiles to explain Trump’s lack of sympathy and hardline rhetoric against Canada.
Downloads
PlumX Metrics of this article
References
“Address by the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Foreign Affairs, on Steel and Aluminum Tariffs Imposed by the United States’, Global Affairs Canada, 31 May 2018, at https://www.canada.ca/en/global-affairs/news/2018/05/address-by-the-honourablechrystia-freeland-minister-of-foreign-affairs-on-steel-and-aluminum-tariffs-imposed-bythe-united-states.html.
Google Scholar
Austen I., “Looking Behind Trump’s Latest Attack on Canada’s Aluminum Exports”, New York Times, 14 August 2020, at https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/14/world/canada/trumpcanada-aluminum-exports.html.
Google Scholar
Bothwell R., Your Country, My Country: A Unified History of the United States and Canada, New York 2015.
Google Scholar
Cao L., “Pride and Prejudice in U.S. Trade”, Notre Dame Journal of International & Comparative Law, vol. 7, no. 2 (2017), pp. 1-57.
Google Scholar
Dale D., “Donald Trump Confirms Star Story on His Secret Bombshell Remarks about Canada”, Toronto Star, 31 July 2018, at https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2018/08/31/bombshell-leak-to-toronto-star-upends-nafta-talks-in-secret-so-insulting-remarks-trumpsays-he-isnt-compromising-at-all-with-canada.html.
Google Scholar
“Deputy Prime Minister’s Remarks for Aluminum Tariff Response”, Deputy Prime Minister of Canada, 7 August 2020, at https://deputypm.canada.ca/en/news/speeches/2020/08/07/deputy-prime-ministers-remarks-aluminum-tariff-response.
Google Scholar
Dimitrova A., “Trump’s ‘America First’ Foreign Policy: The Resurgence of the Jacksonian Tradition?”, L’Europe en Formation, vol. 1, no. 382 (2017), p. 37.
Google Scholar
“Donald Trump’s Complete Convention Speech, Annotated”, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2016, at https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-donald-trump-convention-speech-transcript-20160721-snap-htmlstory.html.
Google Scholar
Emrath P., “Even Modest Cap on Canadian Lumber Threatens 8,900 U.S. Jobs”, NationalAssociation of Home Builders, 24 May 2016, at http://eyeonhousing.org/2016/05/even-modest-cap-on-canadian-lumber-threatens-8900-u-s-jobs.
Google Scholar
“Exhibit 4. U.S. Imports for Consumption of Steel Products From Selected Countries andAreas”, U.S. Census Bureau, [2020], at https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/Press-Release/2020pr/07/steel/steel4p.pdf.
Google Scholar
“Food Fight: Donald Trump Takes Aim at Canada”, Economist, 29 April 2017, at https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2017/04/29/donald-trump-takes-aim-at-canada.
Google Scholar
Forani J., “ThankCanada Hashtag Trending after Trump-Trudeau Trade Dispute”, CTV News, 11 June 2018, at https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/thankcanada-hashtag-trendingafter-trump-trudeau-trade-dispute-1.3968445.
Google Scholar
Ford D. (@fordnation). Twitter, 10 June 2018, 8:35 PM, at https://twitter.com/fordnation/status/1005881169253027840.
Google Scholar
“Former Canadian Prime Minister Talks Trade with US”, Fox News, 10 June 2018, at https://video.foxbusiness.com/v/5795871812001/#sp=show-clips.
Google Scholar
Gabryś M., Soroka T., Canada as a Selective Power: Canada’s Role and International Position after 1989, Kraków 2017.
Google Scholar
Gagnon F., “Breakpoint in Time: Donald Trump’s Trade Policy Toward Canada”, in M. Quessard, F. Heurtebize, F. Gagnon (eds.), Alliances and Power Politics in the Trump Era: America In Retreat?, Cham 2020, pp. 239-254.
Google Scholar
Goodman L.-A., “Nixon Tapes Include Testy Trudeau Chat”, Toronto Star, 8 December 2008, at https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2008/12/08/nixon_tapes_include_testy_trudeau_chat.html.
Google Scholar
Granatstein J., Bothwell R., Pirouette: Pierre Trudeau and Canadian Foreign Policy, Toronto 1990.
Google Scholar
Harper T., “Justin Trudeau’s ‘Trump Management’ to Be Tested at Summit”, Toronto Star, 5 June 2018, at https://www.thestar.com/opinion/star-columnists/2018/06/05/trudeaus-trumpmanagement-to-be-tested-at-summit.html.
Google Scholar
Harris S., “Ketchup Wars: Heinz Defends Its Image as Tariffs Kick in on U.S.-made Condiment”, CBC News, 1 June 2018, at https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/heinz-french-s-ketchuptrade-war-tariffs-1.4728691.
Google Scholar
Healy T., “North American Community from Above and from Below: Working-Class Perspectives on Economic Integration and Crisis”, in J. McKelvey Ayres, L. Macdonald (eds.), North America in Question: Regional Integration in an Era of Economic Turbulence, Toronto 2012, pp. 145-170.
Google Scholar
Heinbecker P., Getting Back in the Game: A Foreign Policy Handbook for Canada, Toronto 2011.
Google Scholar
Helmore E., “Trudeau: Canada will aim to meet Nafta deadline but ‘no deal is better than a bad deal’”, Guardian, 29 August 2018, at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/aug/29/nafta-latest-news-canada-trump-mexico-deal-deadline.
Google Scholar
Hufbauer G., Euijin J., “NAFTA Renegotiation: US Offensive and Defensive Interests vis-à-vis Canada”, in C.F. Bergsten, M. de Bolle (eds.), A Path Forward for NAFTA, 2017, pp. 50-68, at https://www.piie.com/system/files/documents/piieb17-2.pdf.
Google Scholar
“Inaugural Address: Trump’s Full Speech”, CNN, 21 January 2017, at http://edition.cnn.com/2017/01/20/politics/trump-inaugural-address, 17 August 2020.
Google Scholar
“International merchandise trade for all countries and by Principal Trading Partners”, Statistics Canada, 2020, at https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1210001101&cubeTimeFrame.startMonth=01&cubeTimeFrame.startYear=2019&cubeTimeFrame.endMonth=12&cubeTimeFrame.endYear=2019&referencePeriods=20190101%2C20191201.
Google Scholar
Ivison J., Trudeau: The Education of a Prime Minister, Toronto 2019.
Google Scholar
Johnson C.D., The Wealth of a Nation: A History of Trade Politics in America, New York 2018.
Google Scholar
“Joint Statement by Canada and the United States on Section 232 Duties on Steel and Aluminum”, Global Affairs Canada, 17 May 2019, at https://www.canada.ca/en/global-affairs/news/2019/05/joint-statement-by-the-united-states-and-canada-on-section-232-dutieson-steel-and-aluminum.html.
Google Scholar
Krueger A., International Trade: What Everyone Needs to Know, New York 2020.
Google Scholar
Lavelle K., The Challenges of Multilateralism, New Haven 2020.
Google Scholar
Macdonald L., “Upsetting the Apple Cart? Implications of the NAFTA Re-Negotiations for Canada-US Relations”, in D.D. Carment, Ch. Sands (eds.), Canada–US Relations: Sovereignty or Shared Institutions?, Cham 2018, p. 205.
Google Scholar
Markusoff J., “Canada Remains on Donald Trump’s Nice List–for Now”, Maclean’s, 23 January 2017, at https://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/canada-remains-on-donald-trumps-nicelist-for-now.
Google Scholar
Martin L., “Score One for Canada: On Aluminum Tariffs, the U.S. Bully Blinks”, Globe and Mail, 16 September 2020, at https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-scoreone-for-canada-on-aluminum-tariffs-the-us-bully-blinks.
Google Scholar
Martin L., The Presidents and the Prime Ministers: Washington and Ottawa Face to Face: The Myth of Bilateral Bliss 1867-1982, Toronto 1982.
Google Scholar
McGraw M., Parkinson J., “Trump’s Leaked ‘Off-record’ Comments Complicate Trade Deal with Canada”, ABC News, 1 September 2018, at https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trumps-leaked-off-record-comments-complicate-trade-deal/story?id=57528243.
Google Scholar
McGregor J., “Wilbur Ross says Canada is ‘dumping lumber’, as Ottawa vows to push back”, CBC News, 25 April 2017, at https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-reaction-softwoodcountervailing-tuesday-1.4084390.
Google Scholar
“Meeting of the WTO Dispute Settlement Body: Statement by Canada”, Global Affairs Canada, 28 September 2020, at https://www.international.gc.ca/controls-controles/softwood-bois_oeuvre/other-autres/2020-09-28-WTO-statement-declaration-OMC.aspx?lang=eng.
Google Scholar
Miles T., “U.S. Blocks WTO Judge Reappointment as Dispute Settlement Crisis Looms”, Reuters, 27 August 2018, at https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trade-wto/u-s-blocks-wtojudge-reappointment-as-dispute-settlement-crisis-looms-idUSKCN1LC19O.
Google Scholar
Nash K., Fear and Loathing Across the Undefended Border, Toronto 1990.
Google Scholar
Nielsen K., “Donald Trump Announces 20 Per Cent Tariff on Canadian Softwood Lumber”, Global News, 25 April 2017, at https://globalnews.ca/news/3401242/donald-trumpannounces-20-per-cent-tariff-on-canadian-softwood-lumber-report.
Google Scholar
Nossal K.R., “Promises Made, Promises Kept? A Mid-term Trudeau Foreign Policy Report Card”, in N. Hillmer, P. Lagassé (eds.), Justin Trudeau and Canadian Foreign Policy, Ottawa 2018, pp. 31-54.
Google Scholar
“Notice of Intent to Impose Countermeasures Action Against the United States in Response to Tariffs on Canadian Aluminum Products”, Department of Finance Canada, 7 August 2020, at https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/programs/consultations/2020/noticeintent-impose-countermeasures-action-against-united-states-response-tariffs-canadian-aluminum-products.html.
Google Scholar
Panetta A., “Trump Backs off Threat to Terminate NAFTA – for Now”, Maclean’s, 27 April 2017, at https://www.macleans.ca/politics/trump-backs-off-threat-to-terminate-nafta-for-now.
Google Scholar
Paris R., “The Promise and Perils of Justin Trudeau’s Foreign Policy”, in N. Hillmer, P. Lagassé (eds.), Justin Trudeau and Canadian Foreign Policy, Ottawa 2018, pp. 17-30.
Google Scholar
Porter C., “Will a Canadian Donald Trump Become Ontario’s Leader?”, New York Times, 2 June 2018, at https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/02/world/canada/doug-ford-ontario.html.
Google Scholar
“Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Address to the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly”, Government of Canada, 20 September 2016, at http://pm.gc.ca/eng/news/2016/09/20/prime-minister-justin-trudeaus-address-71st-session-united-nations-general-assembly.
Google Scholar
“Remarks by President Trump at Whirlpool Corporation Manufacturing Plant”, U.S. White House, 6 August 2020, at https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/remarkspresident-trump-whirlpool-corporation-manufacturing-plant.
Google Scholar
“Remarks by President Trump in Listening Session with Representatives from the Steel and Aluminum Industry”, U.S. White House, 1 March 2018, at https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/remarks-president-trump-listening-session-representatives-steel-aluminum-industry.
Google Scholar
“Remarks by Vice President Joe Biden at the World Economic Forum”, U.S. White House, 18 January 2017, at https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2017/01/18/remarks-vice-president-joe-biden-world-economic-forum.
Google Scholar
Reyes R., “Trump Will Say Anything to Get Elected”, CNN, 29 June 2016, at https://edition.cnn.com/2016/06/28/opinions/trump-shifting-views-reyes/index.html.
Google Scholar
Shear M., Porter C., “Trump Refuses to Sign G-7 Statement and Calls Trudeau ‘Weak’”, in Trade Wars: Tariffs in the 21st Century, New York 2018, pp. 158-163.
Google Scholar
Solomon E., “Is NAFTA a Goner? Don’t Bet on It. We’ve Heard This Before”, MacLean’s, 27 July 2016, at https://www.macleans.ca/politics/washington/is-nafta-a-goner-dontbet-on-it-weve-heard-this-before.
Google Scholar
“Statement by Canada on Steel and Aluminum”, Global Affairs Canada, 1 March 2018, at https://www.canada.ca/en/global-affairs/news/2018/03/statement-by-canada-on-steeland-aluminum.html.
Google Scholar
“Steel and Aluminium”, International Trade and Investment Canada, 5 October 2020, at https://www.international.gc.ca/trade-commerce/controls-controles/steel_alum-acier_alum.aspx?lang=eng.
Google Scholar
Swanson A., Austen I., “Trump Reinstates Tariff on Canadian Aluminum”, New York Times, 6 August 2020, at https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/06/business/economy/trump-canadian-aluminum-tariffs.html.
Google Scholar
“The Biden Plan to Ensure the Future Is ‘Made in All of America’ by All of America’s Workers”, Democratic National Committee, 2020, at https://joebiden.com/made-in-america.
Google Scholar
“The Honourable Jim Carr, Minister of Natural Resources Canada, Remarks on the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Preliminary Decision to Impose Countervailing Duties on Canadian Softwood Lumber from Certain Products”, Natural Resources Canada, 25 April 2017, at https://www.canada.ca/en/natural-resources-canada/news/2017/04/remarks_on_the_usdepartmentofcommercespreliminarydecisiontoimpos.html.
Google Scholar
“To Resist Trump, Canadians Try Local Ketchup”, Economist, 5 July 2018, at https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2018/07/05/to-resist-trump-canadians-try-local-ketchup.
Google Scholar
Trudeau J. (@JustinTrudeau), Twitter, 7 August 2020, 1:47 AM, at https://twitter.com/JustinTrudeau/status/1291521260044931073.
Google Scholar
Trudeau J. (@JustinTrudeau), Twitter, 10 June 2018, 1:03 AM, at https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1005586152076689408.
Google Scholar
Trudeau J. (@JustinTrudeau), Twitter, 10 June 2018, 1:04 AM, at https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1005586562959093760.
Google Scholar
Trudeau J. (@JustinTrudeau), Twitter, 2 March 2018, 11:50 AM, at https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/969525362580484098.
Google Scholar
Trudeau J. (@JustinTrudeau), Twitter, 4 December 2018, 4:03 PM, at https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1069970500535902208.
Google Scholar
Trudeau J. (@JustinTrudeau), Twitter, 7 June 2018, 7:44 PM, at https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1069970500535902208.
Google Scholar
Tunney C., “Canada Hits Back at U.S. with Dollar-for-dollar Tariffs on Steel, Aluminum, Maple Syrup”, CBC News, 31 May 2018, at https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trump-steel-deadline-1.4685242.
Google Scholar
“U.S. Department of Commerce Issues Affirmative Preliminary Countervailing Duty Determination on Softwood Lumber from Canada”, U.S. Embassy in Canada, 25 April 2017, at https://ca.usembassy.gov/u-s-department-commerce-issues-affirmative-preliminary-countervailing-duty-determination-softwood-lumber-canada.
Google Scholar
“United States – Countervailing Measures on Softwood Lumber from Canada: Notification of an Appeal by the United States”, World Trade Organization, 28 September 2020, at https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/SS/directdoc.aspx?filename=q:/WT/DS/533-5.pdf&Open=True.
Google Scholar
“United States – Countervailing Measures on Softwood Lumber from Canada: Report of the Panel”, World Trade Organization, 24 August 2020, at https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/SS/directdoc.aspx?filename=q:/WT/DS/533R.pdf.
Google Scholar
“United States Rejects WTO Dispute Report Shielding Canada’s Harmful Lumber Subsidies”, U.S. Trade Representative, 24 August 2020, at https://ustr.gov/about-us/policy-offices/press-office/press-releases/2020/august/united-states-rejects-wto-dispute-reportshielding-canadas-harmful-lumber-subsidies.
Google Scholar
“USITC Votes to Continue Investigations on Softwood Lumber Products from Canada”, U.S.
Google Scholar
International Trade Commission, 6 January 2017, at https://www.usitc.gov/press_room/news_release/2017/er0106ll702.htm.
Google Scholar
“USTR Statement on Canadian Aluminum”, U.S. Trade Representative, 15 September 2020, at https://ustr.gov/about-us/policy-offices/press-office/press-releases/2020/september/ustr-statement-canadian-aluminum.
Google Scholar
Watkins E., “Canadian Lawmakers Stand Against Trump’s Tariffs and Trudeau Criticisms”, CNN, 12 June 2018, at https://edition.cnn.com/2018/06/12/politics/canada-housetrump-trudeau-measure/index.html.
Google Scholar
Wherry A., Promise and Peril: Justin Trudeau in Power, Toronto 2019.
Google Scholar
Wike R., Fetterolf J., Mordecai M., “U.S. Image Plummets Internationally as Most Say Country Has Handled Coronavirus Badly”, Pew Research Center, 2020, https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2020/09/15/us-image-plummets-internationally-as-most-saycountry-has-handled-coronavirus-badly.
Google Scholar
Will D., “Us Authorities Move to Double Tariffs on Canadian Lumber Despite a Meteoric Rise in Prices and Demand”, Business Insider, 26 May 2021, at https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/lumber-prices-us-increase-canadian-tariffs-despite-rising-prices-2021-5-1030468561.
Google Scholar
Winberg O., “Insult Politics: Donald Trump, Right-Wing Populism, and Incendiary Language”, European Journal of American Studies, vol. 12, no. 2 (2017), pp. 1-15.
Google Scholar
Downloads
Published
Versions
- 2022-03-11 (2)
- 2021-12-16 (1)
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
