Trump’s Liberation Day Came & Went: Can We Focus on Canada’s Real Problems Now

Donald Trump introduced his worldwide tariffs. It happened. It’s done. Not much changed in Canada. Can we move on now?

Some politicians don’t want you to. They still want you looking south, hoping you’ll stay nervous about the next move from Washington instead of demanding answers for the mess we’re in right here at home. Enough.

Let’s be clear: Trump's tariffs were never the doomsday event some claimed they would be. The so-called “Repatriation Day” — when he threw tariffs on steel, aluminum, and more — was part of his effort to bring jobs back to the United States. He delivered on that promise. Whether you like him or not, it’s what Americans elected him to do.

And what was the impact on Canada? Minimal. Temporary. Manageable.

The U.S. imposed a 10% tariff on Canadian aluminum in 2018. It was lifted in 2020. The 25% tariff on Canadian steel? Still there, yes. But it hasn’t shut down the industry. It hasn’t crushed the economy. And it certainly shouldn’t be the centrepiece of anyone’s campaign in 2025.

If you're still talking about Trump’s tariffs, you’re either out of ideas or trying to distract people from the real problems we’re facing.

And the problems we’re facing are massive — and made entirely in Canada.

Crushing national debt. The skyrocketing cost of living. Groceries up 20% in three years. Mortgage renewals that feel like sucker punches. Utility bills are climbing. Families are downsizing their lives, not by choice, but because government policy has left them no room to breathe.

Meanwhile, we’ve lost tens of billions in private investment. Canada used to be a place where global investors felt welcome. Not anymore. Major energy projects abandoned. Capital fleeing. Red tape suffocating our resource and innovation sectors. Even Canadian companies are putting their money elsewhere.

This is what nine years of ideological governance gets you. An over-regulated economy, a public sector weighed down by bureaucracy, and a healthcare system that’s on the brink.

Walk-in clinics have waitlists. ERs are closing. People are driving hours just to see a family doctor. That’s not America’s fault. That’s Canadian policy failure, plain and simple.

And let’s not ignore the social cost. Over the past decade, governments have driven wedges between Canadians — urban vs. rural, east vs. west, vaccinated vs. unvaccinated, employed vs. small business. The politics of division has replaced the politics of vision.

We need to reverse course. Fast.

And yet, while this country is drifting, some would rather talk about what Trump might do next.

Let him do it. He’s not the Canadian prime minister. He’s an American president doing what he said he’d do: putting America first. Our focus should be on putting Canada first — if we still remember how.

We certainly won’t get there if we follow the Mark Carney playbook. In his book Value(s), the former Bank of Canada governor calls for governments to start assigning “moral value” to economic policy. What that really means is more centralized control and less freedom for families and businesses. It’s a slippery slope that leads straight to unelected bureaucrats deciding what’s best for your wallet.

Carney is a World Economic Forum favourite. That’s all you need to know.

The WEF continues to push a global agenda that’s completely out of touch with the Canadian reality. Their vision is one of top-down control — restrictions, carbon caps, ESG scoring systems — all of which mean less economic growth and less personal freedom. And somehow, our leaders keep listening to them while Canadians struggle to pay for gas and groceries.

We have to turn this ship around.

This country needs an immediate focus on productivity, investment, and practical government. We need to cut the red tape. Open up energy development. Modernize taxes. Rebuild our healthcare capacity. And stop punishing job creators for doing their job.

Most of all, we need leadership that’s focused on Canada. Not Trump. Not the WEF. Not global think tanks writing papers for each other.

This election is about whether we still have the courage to fix our country. To get serious. To stop the distractions and start the repairs.

Ignore the spin. Look at what’s actually happened. Then ask yourself: Who’s ready to lead Canada back?

Because this time, we can’t afford to get it wrong.