Subj : Re: Chinese Scientists Cr
To   : ROB MCCART
From : Mike Powell
Date : Thu Feb 20 2025 09:01:00

> I should be careful about saying too much directly about Trump. I would
> guarantee that we get different news up here than you get down there and
> I'm not sure whether they just highlight what gets people's attention
> in that country or if some things are blocked down there that we get
> to see up here. Probably in both countries we should take the main
> news with a bit if a grain of salt, although the NON mail news people
> can be a serious problem as well.

Down here, whatever will get the most clicks is what we are going to see
and hear the most.

> Originally we did think that the Canada as the 51st state was a bit
> of a joke, but he seems to be getting more and more serious about it
> all the time. Honestly though, with him it's hard to tell what is a
> ploy and what he's serious about. The bottom line is that a trade
> war between our countries would just cost the regular people more.
> The gov't will collect the tariffs as income and the amount of them
> will just get passed down to the regular consumers in higher prices
> so it acts more like a tax on almost everything you buy.

Yes, trade wars do not help the consumer, especially if they drag on for
any amount of time.

> MP>In Canada, what is the general feeling as to why Trump wants Canada
>   >to join with the USA?

> We have a lot of rare minerals and natural resources that we sell to
> you and of the oil you import, 60% of it comes from Canada. Trump was
> talking about a $200 Billion trade deficit with Canada - us selling
> you that much more than you sell us - but they looked at that up here
> and found if you remove Oil from that figure, which we actually sell
> to you at 20% less than the going market rates, then you actually
> end up with a small trade surplus. Someone said a while back that if
> the Tariff war comes through and affects oil that Americans can
> expect to pay about an extra $10 to fill their tanks.

Interesting.  When I was in Canada in 2017, a Canadian explained to me that
a lot of the oil "exported" to the US is actually sent here to be refined
into gasoline and is then imported back into Canada, which is why he said
he pays more for gasoline in Canada.  He insinuated that the Canadian
refining capacity is kept intentionally low by regulations (I am guessing
environmental).

> Canada and the USA have one of the best relationships in the world
> with the longest undefended border in the world. We generally like
> each other and our trade back and forth is a huge part of both of
> our economies so I hope that Trump doesn't do anything to mess that
> up more than he already has (tourism and cross border shopping is
> way down and we are booing each others national anthems at sporting
> events). Fortunately this is his last term and I fear he is trying
> to do something to really stand out in the history books more than
> it actually being something to 'make America Great again'...

He should be trying to do good things to stand out.  Not so sure that idea
has sunk in, though.  :(  If it were me, I would prefer not to be known as
the President who ruined Canadian-American relations.  I guess he maybe has
other ideas.

Mike

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