“He Loves Us” Isn’t a Foreign Policy

When a Canadian MP brags about buddying up to Washington while the U.S. bullies our economy, that’s not diplomacy... it’s wishful thinking dressed up as strategy.

Every time Canada gets pushed around by Washington…

Somebody pops up with the same bright idea…

“Relax… they like us.”

That’s not negotiation.

That’s how you talk yourself into a bad deal.

This week’s version comes courtesy of Jamil Jivani, a Conservative MP who flew to the U.S. and proudly reported that the American president asked him to pass along a message to Canadians:

“He loves you.”

Terrific.

So does my dentist.

Still sends me the bill.

Let’s review reality for a second.

This is the same White House that…

• floats the “51st state” nonsense
• threatens tariffs every other Tuesday
• calls our leaders “governors”
• taxes its own citizens on Canadian imports
• tears up trade deals when it feels like it

And we’re supposed to melt because somebody says “love”?

That’s not statecraft.
That’s a Hallmark card.

Meanwhile… and this is the part nobody mentions… Canada isn’t begging.

We’re adapting.

While the Americans swing a tariff bat at their own knees, Canada’s quietly building alternatives.

Non-U.S. exports in early 2025?

Up 13.6%.

Gold. Silver. Energy. Aircraft.

Diversification. The boring stuff that actually works.

Then there’s Trans Mountain Corporation.

Instead of screaming “build a $30B pipeline right now!”, they’re spending $9 million to boost capacity 10% using efficiency upgrades.

Smart money beats loud money every time.

On top of that?

Canada is planning up to $200 billion in wind, solar, and storage investments over the next decade… with 350,000 jobs tied to it.

That’s strategy.

Not selfies with American politicians.

Even Stephen Harper… not exactly a Liberal poster boy… has warned that the U.S. has become openly hostile and Canada needs less dependence, not more.

Yet somehow parts of today’s Conservative crowd still think the answer is…

“Smile bigger. Be nicer. Maybe they’ll stop hitting us.”

That’s not how bullies work.

And it’s definitely not how markets work.

The Americans are feeling it already…

• rising jobless claims
• worst January layoff plans since 2009
• falling job openings
• political panic at home

They’re weakening themselves.

You don’t interrupt your opponent when they’re making mistakes.

You step aside and let gravity do its job.

Our current approach… slow, boring, diversified, stubborn… is exactly what leverage looks like.

“No deal is better than a bad deal.”

That’s adult thinking.

Showing up with “but he loves us” is middle-school diplomacy.

At best, it’s naïve.

At worst, it looks like cozying up to a foreign power and hoping they’ll return the favour come election time.

Either way?

It smells.

Canada doesn’t need friends in Washington.

We need backbone in Ottawa.

Because love notes don’t lower tariffs.

Strength does.

---

The recap…

A Canadian MP went to Washington and came back with this message:

“The president loves Canadians.”

Cute.

Meanwhile tariffs, threats, and insults keep rolling.

That’s not diplomacy… that’s denial.

---

The Gut-Punch…

If your negotiation strategy starts with “he likes me,” you’ve already lost.

---

Source Credit:

Source: Analysis based on reporting and commentary from recent Canadian/U.S. political and economic coverage.

---

Canada Strong Movement… House Rule & Disclosure

Canada Strong exists to defend Canadian sovereignty, democratic norms, and economic independence… without imported talking points or borrowed outrage.

House rule… Facts and good-faith discussion are welcome. I use AI tools to help turn my spoken drafts into clear writing. I’m 73, my hands shake, and I type with two fingers… so I speak first, then edit.

The ideas, positions, and final message are mine.

---

💌 If you enjoyed this, subscribe at GeezerWise.com to get future Unlearn letters straight to your inbox: www.geezerwise.com/subscribe ✌️

#CanadaStrongMovement #CanadaStrong