A Bridge Too Far

As a general rule, I don’t make partisan political commentary. First, my father brought me up that way, and second, I have too many friends on both sides of the spectrum I don’t wish to sacrifice over ideology.

On policy, well, that’s a different matter.

For the time being, I will refrain from offering my take on Trump except to say what could possibly be argued, at least initially, as moving the Left pendulum Right, has morphed into something else entirely with a Commander In Dementia at the helm. We once might have only been dealing with a power-wielding bully. Today we are dealing with insanity-wielding petulance.

The Gordie Howe Bridge fiasco, and the latest tariff threat, should serve as the final last straw.

I agree with Bruce Anderson’s Heart Vs. Head, and I still believe Mark Carney’s approach is, as I said, beyond reproach. But perhaps the Gordie Howe Bridge should become Canada’s Waterloo.

The original 2012 agreement was already heavily tilted in America’s favour with Canada agreeing to finance the entire project ($6.4 Billion) upfront, but with at least all proceeds going toward servicing Canada’s debt over 50 years. Fair enough, a deal-is-a-deal, and both sides would at least reap the direct and indirect economic benefits.

However, for Trump to whimsically come along after-the-fact and mischaracterize the arrangement as a bad deal for America – following a conspicuously timed million dollar donation to MAGA from Ambassador Bridge owner Matthew Moroun – and demand altering the arrangement further into America’s favour is just plain wrong.

Worse is if Canada has capitulated.

The deal was to split net revenue 50/50, after Canada was paid back the $6.4 Billion which PM Carney last week gave assurances was still the deal in place. Now it appears FIFA Red Card 2.0 is quietly, or in Trump’s case, not so quietly, playing itself out.

If undue influence is behind Trump bullying his way into ripping-up the old deal, and net revenues are now to be shared 50/50 immediately ahead of paying back Canada’s debt, no problem, but first Trump can equally and immediately fork-over America’s 50% share of said debt.

Canada has its own loud-mouth in one Doug Ford, who in late 2025 was given a teacher’s time-out for allegedly misappropriating Ronald Reagan’s words against Trump. Again, fair enough– perhaps was too soon. Or was it?

The point is, there comes a time when too much is too much. Starting with Davos, PM Carney has said and done all the right things and I generally agree that not falling for the trap, and forgoing trying to make sense of the nonsensical is the right approach.

But now it seems we are in the midst of crossing a bridge too far, and perhaps now is the right time to fight back. This is not to suggest the Heart should win against the Head, but rather perhaps it’s time for the Head to adopt a good-cop bad-cop routine, and unleash Doug Ford and Canada’s other Premiers, all the while keeping Mark Carney’s powder dry?

I get the potential economic fallout, but perhaps it’s Canada’s turn to indefinitely delay the bridge’s opening until the spirit of the 2012 agreement is honoured, or a new deal in which Canada is not the sucker to some level of insanity.

As for the latest round of new Tariff threats– same answer. A deal is a deal.