Some of the rest of the world does cheat on those obligations. But the solution isn't for the global trading leader to drop its standards in response. It's a tough spot to be in. But you're there for a reason. It's like Superman getting into a bar fight. Why?

Flavio Volpe

In these affairs, you’re either a lion or its lunch, and I’m not sure that walking softly will keep you out of its mouth.”

Some men just like to watch the world burn. by Flavio Volpe

Some men just like to watch the world burn.

We have to stop pretending that we are dealing with a rational counter-party. You know, these people are caging children at the border.

How do you get a bully to back off when their foot is on your neck? Do you plead with them or do you bite the foot?

I do my best work when the bullets are flying overhead. by Flavio Volpe

I do my best work when the bullets are flying overhead.

I expect Canada, Mexico and the Europeans to respond by punching... by Flavio Volpe

I expect Canada, Mexico and the Europeans to respond by punching the bully in the nose.

I think we should be taking (Trump’s) threat at face value and prepare for an attempt to issue tariffs. I expect that Canada would be resolute in response — we sell the U.S. about as many cars as we buy. No one will win, we should definitely put up a fight for the parachute.”

On President Trump’s on actually hurting Mexico with tariffs, “That might be his play, if we can ascribe any sophistication to it. That’s a big if, because he may just be insane.”

So I think it’s important we get some technical advice from the experts at (the U.S. Trade Representative) on how exactly we’re going to do that… A lot of plastics are petroleum-based. So what’s the methodology there — are we tracing back to bitumen, are we tracing back to sweet crude? “When you say you’re going back to the base raw materials that’s what you’re talking about. So when did the dinosaurs die? And where did they die? And can we claim ownership of that?

The Minister’s drive to achieve another vanity trophy paid for by the regular people who work in Canada’s auto sector is amazing to watch and I congratulate him on this ignominious achievement.

The province is still proposing to meet its 2025 carbon reduction targets in part by forcing Ontarians to pay themselves subsidies to buy electric vehicles that won't actually exist.

The White House is a historical BS factory.” by Flavio Volpe

The White House is a historical BS factory.”

There is ideology and populism and then there's sheer madness of sending your country into a recession to prove a point no one understands.

This could not be a worse time to make a dumb move. by Flavio Volpe

This could not be a worse time to make a dumb move.

We’re signing a bad deal because we hope to sell more products that grow on four legs,” Mr. Volpe said, “[It’s] a progressive trade agreement that sells products we’ve been mastering since Samuel de Champlain.”

You can't have protectionism within a free trade agreement. It's... by Flavio Volpe

You can't have protectionism within a free trade agreement. It's an oxymoron.”

You don't really play poker with your cards up. by Flavio Volpe

You don't really play poker with your cards up.

The positive momentum on the rules of origin appears to be counterbalanced by the opposite movement on labor wage treatment proposals.