Those who have underestimated Donald Trump’s viciousness and determination have always paid the price. But Canada has taken the measure of our enemy. We know exactly what we are up against.
Our strategy is clearly confounding the MAGA machine.
They are enraged that we walked away from the negotiating or more accurately the intimidation table. Their key spokespeople are shouting and hurling insults, saying that they will teach us a lesson. Trump says we will be sorry for having the nerve to stand up for our sovereignty.
Hence Donald Trump’s pathetic “executive order” renaming one of the Great Lakes.
If he thought that was going to freak us out and get under our skin, he is swinging wildly and missing.
If my dad, John Angus, were alive, he would be on the phone right now telling me how this is the political version of the legendary Rumble in the Jungle — the 1974 showdown between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman.
My dad did everything in boxing metaphors.
Going into the fight, George Foreman was considered the guaranteed winner. He had unprecedented punching power, having knocked out the greatest heavyweights of the generation with ease.
Muhammad Ali was considered to be past his prime. Few thought he would stand up to the fury of Foreman’s fists. People were worried that Ali would be seriously injured or worse.
When the fight started, Ali shocked all the pundits. He didn’t use his speed. He didn’t try to run. He hung on the ropes and let Foreman come to him.
But just before the end of every round, Ali would jump forward with a flurry of perfectly aimed jabs and hits. It confused Foreman and infuriated him. So Foreman swung harder and began missing more.
You could see this in Prime Minister Carney’s response to Trump’s declaration about changing the name of Lake Ontario.
Carney let Trump own the online space for most of the day, then responded with smart, brutally effective jabs.
It was as if he was mocking Trump’s tactic of over-the-top superlatives when he explained that the Indigenous word for Ontario meant “the lake is big.” He was trolling Trump because the PM knows that the word actually means “the sparkling waters.” A follow up jab hit home with his use of the word hydronym. Yes, I have to admit I had to look it up.
Then Prime Minister Carney finished with a blow that stung:
“Canadians know that naming reality means calling it Lake Ontario — then, now and always.”
Those jabs sting — like when Ali kept hitting home until the raging bull Foreman was out of energy and completely disoriented.
Ali took him down.
When asked later what the heck he had been doing in the ring, Ali described it as the rope-a-dope.
Canada is doing the rope-a-dope now.
Premier Wab Kinew is another expert at the cutting jab all while keeping the smile on his face.
He compared Trump to an aging rock band playing its tired old hits in a casino 50 years after those songs meant anything. These are all rope-a-dope tactics while the big punches — exports of potash, energy, critical minerals - are kept in reserve. MAGA knows those hammers will fall if Trump tries to go further.
What we have hit them with are very targeted measures right down specific parts, fittings, and couplings that are used in everything from air conditioning to forklifts.
No doubt the MAGA influencers will think this response is harmless.
But here’s the thing, those mouldings are made in particular factories in key states that are now scrambling with the fallout of finding themselves in Canadian gunsights.
These are well-aimed body blows.
The Trump regime is shocked that we didn’t come out swinging.
We are holding back the major leverage.
Rope-a-Dope.
As economic uncertainty in the United States grows and the midterms loom, Canada’s precision punching will start to have an effect.
Check out my analysis of how things are going in week one of the war.
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Great comparison to the Ali/Foreman fight.Thank you Charlie.
rope the dope!