Programming Note: Friday Focus is taking a summer break. We will be back with new episodes starting September 11 (and, of course, if any significant geopolitical news breaks over the summer!). 

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Rudyard and Andrew react to the intensifying Canada-U.S. trade war. Trump is threatening additional tariffs starting January 1, and it’s increasingly clear he was intent on escalating regardless of whether or not Carney walked away from the deal. Carney is putting his Davos message into action: middle powers need to free themselves from the grip of hegemons. It was the right call, with broad agreement in Canada that we cannot allow Trump to bully us into submission. There will be costs, but the cost of staying at the table may have been greater.

Should Canada pursue retaliatory tariffs? Will other countries being targeted by Trump follow Canada’s lead? And finally, can Canada use the upcoming U.S. midterms to pressure Trump into a better deal?