Different Approaches to Canada/US Relations, Part 2

Pierre Poilievre gave a major foreign policy speech last week and it demonstrates perfectly the two approaches that I described in my previous post. 

Quickly, the two approaches are: Work with the Americans but push to maintain our sovereignty and distinctiveness or take a more "subordinate" approach to the US, generally following their lead with less concern about sovereignty and distinctiveness. For decades the Canadian approach to US relations has been a mix of these two approaches with the Liberals tending to favour the first approach and the Conservatives tending to favour the second.

Mr. Poilievre's speech was very critical of Donald Trumps words and actions towards Canada and it had several themes and ideas that were similar if not identical to those expressed by the PM at Davos. However, where the PM stressed the need for Canada and other middle powers to work together to navigate the post-American world Mr. Poilievre maintained that Canada should work harder to strengthen ties with the US. A perfect contrast.

I stated in my previous post that the PM gave a rather extreme speech in Davos. He said a great deal out loud that many foreign policy experts and professionals have been saying behind closed doors for decades. That is, and I am paraphrasing, the international system is an anarchic system where whether the rules apply to a certain country is a function of its relative power in the world and that Canada and other middle powers need to begin make decisions with that in mind instead of hoping what rules that do exist will protect them from those bigger powers.

Pierre Poilievre seems to disagree with that assertion, or if he does agree his solution is not to work with other middle powers but to tuck Canada even further under the US's protective wing. As I stated in my previous post, considering the current US policies and goals of the administration and the fact that Donald Trump disappearing from the scene would probably not see changes in all of those policies and goals would mean that any government looking to improve relations with the US would also have to go to extremes to do so. What that looks like is anybody's guess, which is one reason why Mr. Poilievre did not go into details.

Mr. Trump wants to make Canada a part of the US or at least a vassal state, taking orders from Washington. His history has proven that he does not compromise so it would be an all or nothing proposition for him. The Trump administration is using several economic tools in his attempt to make that happen and it is still a question of how much would a Conservative government go to appease the President.

Personally, I really do not want to find out.