Burning Down the White House

As a trade war heats up, Canada is making our own stance in regards to the illegal tariffs that are being slapped on the free trade goods. Even the US NAFTA negotiator said that Canada's move was brilliant, targeting those areas and states that would affect trump supporters.

The current trade war isn't because of Canadian steel and aluminum, but is actually due to the fact that we don't accept US dairy products into Canada. As the US injects their cows with rBGH, a synthetic growth hormone (supplied by Monsanto), Canadian scientists tested it years ago, and could not confirm Monsanto's claims, and thus banned the substance and US dairy. At that time, the scientists were fired by the conservative government, but not before they released their findings, thus ensuring that Canadian health was protected.

Current testing is inconclusive, however rBGH has been known to increase certain cells that cause breast, ovary and prostate cancer. With the number of cancers in western civilization, we don't need to exacerbate that in any way shape or form. Nor do I think we need to put Canadian health at risk, or to decimate our own dairy industry.

I wrote a few weeks ago how I'd run into a dairy farmer and how he'd asked me not to post photos of his farm and house on the local Facebook page. I hadn't, but he wanted to ensure that I didn't, either. No problem. He told me at that time he's a key figure in the Dairy Farmer's of Canada organization.

As this dairy issue is coming to a head, I contacted him today via a fb message asking him why negotiations to take illegal US milk were even a consideration and what about protecting our own dairy industry? He responded that he would get back to me as he was in a meeting and thanked me for my concern on this issue.

These current tariffs are punishment for not accepting the dairy into Canada, and as far as I'm concerned, an illegal substance is an illegal substance and there's no room at all for any negotiation on it.

Canadians are generally sick and tired of the US' bullying in regards to our resources and trade, and we haven't forgotten the $5 billion that California still owes us for power they were sold when they didn't have enough and the $5 billion that the courts ruled the US owed us on softwood lumber that was also never paid (and some idiot minister forgave). Despite the courts ruling that the US owes the $5 billion for the power, we have yet to see a penny of it. It'd be great to see another power shortage in Ca and for Canada to tell them so sorry. No can do, you don't pay your bills. If Ca has one of the highest economies in the world, then why can't they pay their bills? Maybe it's why they have one of the highest economies, they screw over their suppliers.

Regardless of that issue, there's simply no reason for Canada to have to bend over to take the excess milk and dairy that the US can't dump anywhere else. The EU won't take it, and up until now, neither has Canada, nor should they. They need to find other markets for their dairy, and if Canada and the EU won't take it because of the hormones injected into the cows, then perhaps they need to rethink their methods.

As far as I'm concerned, the trade war can go on indefinitely, Canada can start restricting her sale of resources to the US and adding tariff upon tariff in retaliation and an effort to protect OUR country and citizens. There are many other trade partners in the world, and it's more than time Canada sought other partners.

The US should be careful about insulting us, considering we supply them with much needed power. And it's always a Republican president who starts this divisive bs, pissing off their allies. As much as I love my US friends, this trade war is not doing either country any good, and I hope our PM has enough balls to tell trump to shove his dairy where the sun doesn't shine.

Looks like it may be time for Canadians to burn down the White House again, metaphorically speaking.