It would be nice if this chaos were an actual plan rather than the demented ravings of an old man and/or the ketamine-fueled fever dreams of the tech bros.
Suzzyrayne on
Is the sky blue?
gorschkov on
From the article
“I am not a conspiracy person. I deal in facts, incentives, and outcomes. But every now and then, the timing of events becomes so convenient that ignoring it would be irresponsible.
Yesterday, I spoke with two people about the escalating battle between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Mark Carney. This morning, I had the same conversation with someone else. Three different people. Three different backgrounds. Each asked me the same question, unprompted: do you think this is on purpose?’
ReaperCDN on
Yes, very clearly.
Trump has done something that political science textbooks have been warning about for decades, but that a lot of people still refused to believe could actually happen in a modern democracy.
He showed in real time that you don’t need a coup, tanks, or suspended elections to dismantle democratic governance. You just need a bad actor who is willing to use legal tools in bad faith.
What Trump exposed is that the real vulnerability in democratic systems isn’t illegality, it’s accountability gaps.
He demonstrated that:
* Courts can be packed or ignored without formally abolishing them;
* Legislatures can be hollowed out while still functioning; and
* Elections can continue while the rule of law collapses underneath them
Loyalty to institutions can be replaced with loyalty to individuals, all while staying *nominally* within the law.
That revelation absolutely matters in Canada, because Canadians have historically assumed that our safeguards, the democratic norms, conventions, and good faith, were simply enough. Trump shattered that illusion for a lot of voters.
Which brings us to Carney, and the effect Trump has had in Canadian politics.
Carney benefits because he represents institutional stability, rule-based governance, and pragmatism at a moment when voters are suddenly **very aware of how fragile those things actually are.** Trump’s behavior has made abstract warnings concrete. Canadians don’t need hypotheticals anymore, we’ve watched the play already unfold south of the border.
And that directly intersects with what’s happening provincially, for example in Alberta.
When Canadians see premiers openly rewriting democratic rules to force predetermined outcomes, lowering thresholds, bypassing broad public will, and framing it all as “legal,” Trump’s example gives people the language to understand why that feels wrong, even if it passes technical legality tests.
The lesson Trump taught voters is simple and deeply unsettling:
**“It’s legal”** *is not the same as* **“It’s legitimate.”**
Slavery was legal. Women not being able to vote was legal. Gays not being able to marry was legal.
So when federal leadership offers a contrast, respect for institutions, restraint, predictability, and a commitment to the system rather than to factional outcomes, it becomes electorally powerful. Trump didn’t make Canadians love liberalism more. He made them fear what happens when it begins to erode.
That fear consolidates votes. It reduces tolerance for chaos. It pushes undecided voters toward the option that looks boring, stable, and institutional, which is exactly how Carney was being perceived when it came to the election.
Ironically, Trump’s biggest contribution to Canadian politics may be this. He showed Canadians what democratic failure actually looks like before we had to live through it ourselves.
nonmeagre on
As a Winnipegger, I feel the need to inform other Canadians that they don’t need to read anything this failed Mayoral and MLA candidate prints in the paper he now owns.
squirrel9000 on
The superficial answer is, yes, Carney has stumbled into some very fortuitous circumstances and is taking advantage of it. Trump is a perfect villain but is not performing simply for Canada’s benefit, any more than his performances in Europe or domestically are intended to act as a foil for his supposed opponents there. He’s acting that way around everyone, Carney is not special.
Is it deliberate on Carney’s part? Yes, one doesn’t accidentally deliver that Davos speech… but would he be acting differently were it less politically expedient? I think he’d be doing exactly the same thing. That his actions are not simply political gamesmanship but that he is trying to lead the country.
The rest of the article is pretty much the standard boilerplate argument that we should simply lie back passively and let Trump have his way with us, which is, as we know, not really an option given the events of his second term. Global poles are shifting, and it would be unwise to ignore that and pretend that it would be sunshine and unicorn farts if we just played nice with the guy who would still destroy us the next time he had a tantrum no matter how nice we played.
Neglectful_Stranger on
During the Canadian election he explicitly stated a preference for Carney.
This shouldn’t be surprising.
Brilliant_Cover_7883 on
It’s Trump specialty, turn the minorities in majority!
JohnDorian0506 on
During an interview on Fox News’s *The Ingraham Angle*, host Laura Ingraham pointed out that Trump’s treatment of Canada could propel the governing Liberals to win the next election and lead a government that’s hostile to the U.S.
“I don’t care,” Trump responded. “I think it’s easier to deal, actually, with a liberal and maybe they’re going to win, but I don’t really care. It doesn’t matter to me at all.”
Trump wanted Carney and Trump got Carney. Trump wouldn’t know what reverse psychology is.
LittleSunshyne4 on
I don’t think he’ll win a majority. How about all the political parties work together. I’m sick of majority governments doing what they want when they want.
Personal-Recipe-4751 on
Carney is walking a fine line right now. The liberal coalition is extremely anti american and he gains popularity when he feeds into that. But he also can’t piss off the Americans too much because we need to keep trade intact. We will see. He will either ride this to a majority while Trump is in office or he will completely fail in the trade talks and Canada will suffer greatly.
Koss424 on
Maybe – but Carney will lose a lot of good will if he calls a snap election for the sake of power. I think he will hold the course because I believe he is more interested in nation building.
Worldly-University13 on
PP hurts himself enough without Trump. Trump added to the effect hurts himself even more. Compounding issues
tantrumguy on
He’s also helping China, and India become the parnters of choice. Sooooo much winning!!
haywoodjabloughmee on
Kind of. Trump’s actions coupled with CPC’s refusal to cast off the like-minded wingnuts in their tent is the perfect combo
GamesCatsComics on
I’m a fairly far left wing NDP voter, usually.
I hate with a passion my local Liberal MP.
I am deeply unhappy with some of the stuff the Liberals have done since the election.
If an election was held tomorrow Liberal / Carney without a second thought.
I don’t have to like all his policies to realize he’s the leader we need right now, we are facing an existential threat from the USA / Trump, and Carney is the only politician I have faith in to stand up to them.
Also the article is bullshit, Carney isn’t going to call an election anytime soon, despite a minority he has a stable government and a mandate.
Sallgoodmannnnn on
No shit lol
SillySausage232 on
PP still delulu he could ever be PM. Or maybe he’s just keeping his grift of living entirely on the public dime and doing fuck all going another 2 years.
JC1949 on
Not intentionally. But then, well, things seldom wind up where he thinks they will in the end.
drdillybar on
Haha, nope.
gamfo2 on
God I hope not. What a disaster that would be.
JCox1987 on
The only good thing he’s done is that he’s prevented us from having Pierre Poilievre in power
23 Comments
It would be nice if this chaos were an actual plan rather than the demented ravings of an old man and/or the ketamine-fueled fever dreams of the tech bros.
Is the sky blue?
From the article
“I am not a conspiracy person. I deal in facts, incentives, and outcomes. But every now and then, the timing of events becomes so convenient that ignoring it would be irresponsible.
Yesterday, I spoke with two people about the escalating battle between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Mark Carney. This morning, I had the same conversation with someone else. Three different people. Three different backgrounds. Each asked me the same question, unprompted: do you think this is on purpose?’
Yes, very clearly.
Trump has done something that political science textbooks have been warning about for decades, but that a lot of people still refused to believe could actually happen in a modern democracy.
He showed in real time that you don’t need a coup, tanks, or suspended elections to dismantle democratic governance. You just need a bad actor who is willing to use legal tools in bad faith.
What Trump exposed is that the real vulnerability in democratic systems isn’t illegality, it’s accountability gaps.
He demonstrated that:
* Courts can be packed or ignored without formally abolishing them;
* Legislatures can be hollowed out while still functioning; and
* Elections can continue while the rule of law collapses underneath them
Loyalty to institutions can be replaced with loyalty to individuals, all while staying *nominally* within the law.
That revelation absolutely matters in Canada, because Canadians have historically assumed that our safeguards, the democratic norms, conventions, and good faith, were simply enough. Trump shattered that illusion for a lot of voters.
Which brings us to Carney, and the effect Trump has had in Canadian politics.
Carney benefits because he represents institutional stability, rule-based governance, and pragmatism at a moment when voters are suddenly **very aware of how fragile those things actually are.** Trump’s behavior has made abstract warnings concrete. Canadians don’t need hypotheticals anymore, we’ve watched the play already unfold south of the border.
And that directly intersects with what’s happening provincially, for example in Alberta.
When Canadians see premiers openly rewriting democratic rules to force predetermined outcomes, lowering thresholds, bypassing broad public will, and framing it all as “legal,” Trump’s example gives people the language to understand why that feels wrong, even if it passes technical legality tests.
The lesson Trump taught voters is simple and deeply unsettling:
**“It’s legal”** *is not the same as* **“It’s legitimate.”**
Slavery was legal. Women not being able to vote was legal. Gays not being able to marry was legal.
So when federal leadership offers a contrast, respect for institutions, restraint, predictability, and a commitment to the system rather than to factional outcomes, it becomes electorally powerful. Trump didn’t make Canadians love liberalism more. He made them fear what happens when it begins to erode.
That fear consolidates votes. It reduces tolerance for chaos. It pushes undecided voters toward the option that looks boring, stable, and institutional, which is exactly how Carney was being perceived when it came to the election.
Ironically, Trump’s biggest contribution to Canadian politics may be this. He showed Canadians what democratic failure actually looks like before we had to live through it ourselves.
As a Winnipegger, I feel the need to inform other Canadians that they don’t need to read anything this failed Mayoral and MLA candidate prints in the paper he now owns.
The superficial answer is, yes, Carney has stumbled into some very fortuitous circumstances and is taking advantage of it. Trump is a perfect villain but is not performing simply for Canada’s benefit, any more than his performances in Europe or domestically are intended to act as a foil for his supposed opponents there. He’s acting that way around everyone, Carney is not special.
Is it deliberate on Carney’s part? Yes, one doesn’t accidentally deliver that Davos speech… but would he be acting differently were it less politically expedient? I think he’d be doing exactly the same thing. That his actions are not simply political gamesmanship but that he is trying to lead the country.
The rest of the article is pretty much the standard boilerplate argument that we should simply lie back passively and let Trump have his way with us, which is, as we know, not really an option given the events of his second term. Global poles are shifting, and it would be unwise to ignore that and pretend that it would be sunshine and unicorn farts if we just played nice with the guy who would still destroy us the next time he had a tantrum no matter how nice we played.
During the Canadian election he explicitly stated a preference for Carney.
This shouldn’t be surprising.
It’s Trump specialty, turn the minorities in majority!
During an interview on Fox News’s *The Ingraham Angle*, host Laura Ingraham pointed out that Trump’s treatment of Canada could propel the governing Liberals to win the next election and lead a government that’s hostile to the U.S.
“I don’t care,” Trump responded. “I think it’s easier to deal, actually, with a liberal and maybe they’re going to win, but I don’t really care. It doesn’t matter to me at all.”
Trump wanted Carney and Trump got Carney. Trump wouldn’t know what reverse psychology is.
I don’t think he’ll win a majority. How about all the political parties work together. I’m sick of majority governments doing what they want when they want.
Carney is walking a fine line right now. The liberal coalition is extremely anti american and he gains popularity when he feeds into that. But he also can’t piss off the Americans too much because we need to keep trade intact. We will see. He will either ride this to a majority while Trump is in office or he will completely fail in the trade talks and Canada will suffer greatly.
Maybe – but Carney will lose a lot of good will if he calls a snap election for the sake of power. I think he will hold the course because I believe he is more interested in nation building.
PP hurts himself enough without Trump. Trump added to the effect hurts himself even more. Compounding issues
He’s also helping China, and India become the parnters of choice. Sooooo much winning!!
Kind of. Trump’s actions coupled with CPC’s refusal to cast off the like-minded wingnuts in their tent is the perfect combo
I’m a fairly far left wing NDP voter, usually.
I hate with a passion my local Liberal MP.
I am deeply unhappy with some of the stuff the Liberals have done since the election.
If an election was held tomorrow Liberal / Carney without a second thought.
I don’t have to like all his policies to realize he’s the leader we need right now, we are facing an existential threat from the USA / Trump, and Carney is the only politician I have faith in to stand up to them.
Also the article is bullshit, Carney isn’t going to call an election anytime soon, despite a minority he has a stable government and a mandate.
No shit lol
PP still delulu he could ever be PM. Or maybe he’s just keeping his grift of living entirely on the public dime and doing fuck all going another 2 years.
Not intentionally. But then, well, things seldom wind up where he thinks they will in the end.
Haha, nope.
God I hope not. What a disaster that would be.
The only good thing he’s done is that he’s prevented us from having Pierre Poilievre in power
I certainly hope so. Can’t stand PP