David Moskrop
Appearances
Today, Explained
How Trump saved Canada’s libs
Here, nobody really took it as a joke. It was at best an insult and at worst a credible threat. And I think for a lot of people, the calculus was, okay, well, this might not happen. It probably won't happen in the sense that we're going to get invaded, troops going over the border. But when the hegemon and your neighbor along the world's longest undefended border, at least for now...
Today, Explained
How Trump saved Canada’s libs
starts talking about annexation, you think, okay, maybe this is something we should take seriously, you know, just in case. And of course, that accompanied real economic threats that we started to feel immediately. And so that was a real one-two punch that hit.
Today, Explained
How Trump saved Canada’s libs
And in the meantime, there were some Americans, including people like Steve Bannon, saying China and Russia, the great powers and the United States.
Today, Explained
How Trump saved Canada’s libs
Well, yes and no. No, we didn't send troops to the border to go defend because that would be an exercise in futility. We don't have that many troops to begin with. It's a huge problem. Yeah, they're stretched a little thin as it is. It's a long border.
Today, Explained
How Trump saved Canada’s libs
But incidentally, as it happens, as Trump started in the early days said, well, you know, we're going to hit Canada with tariffs because of fentanyl and because of a lax border.
Today, Explained
How Trump saved Canada’s libs
The government, at the time, Justin Trudeau said, OK, well, we're going to start patrolling the border with Blackhawk helicopters. We're going to send drones. We're going to declare drug cartels terrorists.
Today, Explained
How Trump saved Canada’s libs
Incidentally, it turns out that border apprehensions, according to the White House, are down, but as you can imagine, tariffs are not.
Today, Explained
How Trump saved Canada’s libs
The cultural reaction has been fascinating because at no time in my life, I'm a spry 41 and a half, but at no time in my life have I seen this sort of surge of nationalism that's been so widespread and sustained, at least so far, and rapid. And it's manifested itself in all kinds of ways. We saw the booing of the Star Spangled Banner at sports events.
Today, Explained
How Trump saved Canada’s libs
We pulled booze off the shelves from the United States. A handful of provinces here, including mine in Ontario and British Columbia, straight up said, OK, the state liquor distributor and retailer is simply not going to carry alcohol. And since then, it's only been Canadian spirits and beer. There was a return of the I Am Canadian, this iconic I Am Canadian beer commercial from the early 2000s.
Today, Explained
How Trump saved Canada’s libs
Jeff Douglas talking about these stereotypical Canadian things, you know, as a flag waved on the screen in the background.
Today, Explained
How Trump saved Canada’s libs
You go to grocery stores and you see American products sitting there on the shelves while Canadian products are empty. And even I was part of this. I went to the grocery store one day and I wanted to make poutine because I guess I felt like being a stereotype. which is something you shouldn't do every day because it's heavy. Especially as you've got to get to your 40s.
Today, Explained
How Trump saved Canada’s libs
Yeah, once you get into your spry early 40s, don't eat poutine every day. I'm not that kind of doctor, but I think that's solid advice. And I went in and I picked up a can of gravy and I get to the cache and I look at it and it's called Americano. I'm like, I should have noticed this earlier. So I go back down, I haul my butt back down the aisle and I went and I checked the label to be sure.
Today, Explained
How Trump saved Canada’s libs
And sure enough, it comes from the United States. I put it back on the shelf and I got a different gravy. I walked back and paid for it and left the store.
Today, Explained
How Trump saved Canada’s libs
Which they have. They're not traveling to the United States either. Bookings are way down. Border crossings, both for Canadians and Americans, are way down. And this is, you know, two deeply integrated economies, both economically and culturally. A trade relationship worth a trillion dollars a year. 75% of Canadian exports go stateside.
Today, Explained
How Trump saved Canada’s libs
And people all of a sudden say, no, it's both an economic and cultural imperative that I start to push back against this. And it came out of nowhere because, you know, prior to Trump trash-talking Canada, threatening Canada, and levying tariffs, this wasn't really on the radar.
Today, Explained
How Trump saved Canada’s libs
That's right. This has become both a rallying cry and a meme and a little bit cringe in Canada. It was a genuine moment that's also been appropriated by politicians. Elbows up!
Today, Explained
How Trump saved Canada’s libs
All right. Elbows up. Elbows up. People on social media, in some cases, have put little emojis in their profiles with hashtags that say elbows up.
Today, Explained
How Trump saved Canada’s libs
And it comes from Mike Myers going on SNL, and he's wearing a Canada's Not For Sale shirt, and he puts up his elbow and Mal's elbows up, in reference to the hockey expression that basically means, you know, get ready to fight, get ready to stand up for yourself. And some people liken it back to hockey legend Gordie Howe, who was quite famous for throwing elbows.
Today, Explained
How Trump saved Canada’s libs
Well, this is it. I mean, I think every time Trump opens his mouth and starts beaking off about the 51st state or threatening another round of tariffs, it comes back. Even if it settles a little bit, it comes back. And I think the suspicion and the anger and the sense of betrayal that is expressed culturally and politically is
Today, Explained
How Trump saved Canada’s libs
is going to lead to a remaking of public policy that's going to lock in those changes. Because once you said, okay, well, I'm going to start shipping goods and services to other countries. I'm going to make my business plans based on that. I'm going to build a bigger east-west electricity grid instead of running it north-south.
Today, Explained
How Trump saved Canada’s libs
I'm going to build pipelines to ship oil and gas east-west and out on the ocean instead of to the south. Well, then you're kind of locked into that new arrangement because it's expensive and difficult to change it. And so, as Mark Carney, the prime minister himself, has said, you know, the relationship has fundamentally changed for good. And I think a lot of people feel that way.
Today, Explained
How Trump saved Canada’s libs
And are people mournful of it? I think mournful is exactly the right word because that's how I feel. Millions of us really deeply love Americans, but don't love what the American administration is doing to our country and our relationship. And it feels like those ties that bind have been severed by that administration.
Today, Explained
How Trump saved Canada’s libs
And yeah, we're mourning that loss because it kind of feels like losing a family member. I can't even share for the Red Wings anymore. Do I have to be a Habs fan? No, God knows I'm not going to be a Leafs fan, but do I have to be a Habs fan? Yeah, I know. There is a kind of light jokey side to this, a kind of spy versus spy side to it.
Today, Explained
How Trump saved Canada’s libs
But then you start digging and you're like, oh, the Trump tariffs could decimate entire industries and put cities out of work and industries out of work and drive Canada into a recession and people would lose their homes. And you're like, that jokey bit stops at the water's edge. And so the cultural expressions are going to reflect that. And so maybe that means getting a Habs jersey.
Today, Explained
How Trump saved Canada’s libs
Born in Peterborough, Ontario, and spent most of my young life in central Ontario. Although, incidentally, my late father was American, in case anyone is wondering if I might be a sleeper agent. I'm not, but I want to just get that out at the top, just in case.