Canada Must Prepare for the Collapse of American Democracy

As Trump's assault on the rule of law and democratic institutions in the United States gains momentum, Canada is facing an uncertain future. The prime minister's concerns about the implications of Trump's actions on Canadian interests are well-founded, given the imminent threat to the American system of democracy. The scope of Trump's aggression against the rule of law and the American people is staggering, with unprecedented abuses of executive authority, dismantling of institutions, and rollbacks of regulations.

Key Takeaways:

• Trump has consistently abused executive authority, including bombing Iran, hitting Canada with tariffs, and deploying federal agents and the national guard to occupy two American cities.
• He has created a national program of abductions and deportations, in complete violation of due process, and has recruited an army of loyal, conspiratorial, and aggressive influencers and media organizations.
• Trump has rolled out the red carpet for dictator Vladimir Putin and supplied Israel's crusade against Gaza, while dismantling America's public health system and destroying its foreign aid operations.
• He has used legal and financial threats to cow private companies, universities, and media outlets into subservience and has defunded America's public broadcasters.
• Trump has threatened not only Canada but also Greenland, Panama, and Mexico, with illegal military action.
• The Trump administration has issued sanctions on a Canadian judge serving on the International Criminal Court, and the president has promised to take over America's decentralized voting system to ban mail-in voting and gerrymander the Congressional map.
• The lower courts have blocked some of Trump's lawless exercises, but the president has responded with lawfare against the system, ignoring legal orders and packing the court with his henchmen.

Statistics:

• Tens of billions of dollars in lost funding per year in America's public health system.
• Scores of Canadians have been arrested and detained by American immigration enforcement officers; 1 Canadian has died in custody.
• Canada relies heavily on American markets for its oil, electricity, and gas exports, making it vulnerable to a potential American financial crisis.

Sources:

• Justin Ling's column in the Toronto Star, citing Mark Carney, Justin Ling's April interview with the prime minister.
• Various news articles and reports on Trump's actions and policies in the United States.