A group of people met with our MP Marcus Polowski for a sociable evening discussing items that impact residents of the district. A last-minute invitation was sent out making inviting people. I had missed an opinion piece written by our member and John McKay a former member of parliament and former chair of Canada US Parliament group. The opinion piece titled “To Those Celebrating the deposal of Venezuela’s Maduro, Be Careful what you wish for” was published in the Toronto Star last week.
The opinion talks about the UN Charter, and the agreement nations make that they will not invade sovereign territories. The two gentlemen spoke that to invade another country for any reason is not sanctioned and by violating those principles of the UN, the world is left to consider that might is right. Just as we oppose Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the invasion of Venezuela by the United States should be equally opposed.
The interesting thing we learned from Marcus was that prior to submitting the opinion piece to the Toronto Star, the prime minister’s office had to approve it. I am led to understand that a minor edit took place. Members of the Liberal Caucus are fully aware that they do not want to cause an issue with the U.S. in the coming “Free Trade Talks”
Today, prior to Mark Carney’s trip to China to renew ties and open trade negotiations with that country, two members of parliament cut short their visit to Taiwan to not hamper the prime minister in his visit to China.
Canada is a middle power and as a middle power, we now walk a thin tightrope, balancing our needs to expand our trading partners while not jeopardizing our relationships with the superpowers of the world. It is a whole new world that nations of the world now find themselves in. Free trade with the United States has disappeared. NATO now finds itself being torn apart by the United States’ threats and the threats posed by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
South American countries have formed a trading block and have already reached agreements with the European nations on trade deals. The latest trading numbers show that Canada has expanded its trade with Europe and South American countries while reducing trade with the United States.
China will be looking to Canada for oil and natural gas to replace those fuels lost by the actions of the United States invading Venezuela and seizing tankers on the high seas. Trump in his “Donroe doctrine” has stated he does not want competitors like China having access to western hemisphere minerals and oil resources. Prime Minister Carney and Canada are now walking the tightrope between two super-powers.
