Bell: Trump tariffs show us Canada has to wake up and get its act together
If Canadians don't think we have to get our act together as a country, then there really is no hope for us

We have to get our act together.?
The chickens have come home to roost.
Another day and President Donald Trump proclaims his gospel from his presidential pulpit.?
The man once again rails against what he sees as the ripoff of America.?
He once again rails against what he sees as the U.S. subsidizing Canada by hundreds of billions of dollars.?
He shares his belief if Americans didn’t subsidize Canada, we would not be a viable country and “therefore Canada should become our cherished 51st state.”?
Not again with the subsidizing and 51st state shtick.?
It really is getting tiresome.?
When all this is going on, with Trump’s real-world tariffs against Canadian goods heading south starting Tuesday, there should be one thought going through the minds of Canadians.?
If this calamity doesn’t wake up Canada, nothing will.?
If Canadians don’t think we have to get our act together after this tariff threat became reality, then there truly is no hope.?
?If Canadians don’t show some real patriotism and get out from under the Americans and act like a country and build baby build as this nation was built at its founding, then it really is time to turn off the lights and hand back the keys.??
After all of this, if Canadians just see what is happening as a bad dream we can wake up from, if Canadians don’t act as if they want a real change, if Canadians can be convinced to believe if you put lipstick on a worn-out, discredited political pig it isn’t a pig any longer, guess who will get the last laugh??
Trump.?
This trade war will pass, at least we better hope so, but this country will have to put on its big-boy pants and put all the virtue-signalling daydreams back in the book of make-believe from where they came.?
What does that mean??
Well, on Sunday, federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre speaks of a wake-up call.?

And we cannot hit the snooze button.
On this day, Poilievre is the heavy favourite to become Canada’s prime minister later this year.?
He slams the Trump tariffs.?
He talks about Canada being locked in with?the U.S. as the customer for our oil, the Americans buying our oil at a discount because when it came to big nation-building projects like pipelines there were more roadblocks than you’d see in a bad summer construction season.?
There is no pipeline to the east nor a much-needed pipeline through northern B.C. to the west coast.?
Poilievre promises the punting of what is known as the No More Pipelines Law brought in by you know who and giving the thumbs-up to job-creating projects.?
LNG plants, pipelines, mines, factories and port expansions.?
“So we can get our products to overseas markets without going through and profiting the United States.”?
Is that not an idea wrapped in the maple leaf??
“It was insane for us to block our industries before this crisis.”?
There’s been a lot of that going around lately.?
Ontario Premier Doug Ford made the point a few days back talking about the Irving refinery in New Brunswick.?

“We’re bringing in oil from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. That doesn’t make sense. We have enough oil to ship it out there and be self-sustaining.”?
Poilievre talks about rebuilding the military. Who opposes that??
Securing the border with all the people here illegally before any of this tariff nonsense. Going after gun smuggling.?
On Monday morning, bright and early, Poilievre rolls out a plan for free trade between provinces which would give a big boost to Canada’s economy.
I remember a meeting of premiers where they talked about this idea and it went nowhere.
It was 30 years ago!
“Canadians will expect all political leaders to do what it takes to make our country more self-reliant and less dependent on the Americans.”
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith still wants a Canadian border czar, a retired general to quarterback border security.?
On the same page as Poilievre, the premier?wants to beef up the military, push development of Canada’s resources and get those resources to buyers beyond just the Americans.?
And, in case you forget,?no more picking on oil and gas. ?
Er … I don’t believe Poilievre has a green guru like Trudeau’s Steven Guilbeault, he of Greenpeace fame.?
We end the day with Trump.?
Our days in these trying times are punctuated by Trump.?
The president says his move to roll out tariffs could mean pain for his fellow Americans, including discomfort for his most loyal followers.?
But, says Trump,?it will be short-term pain for long-term gain.?
You see, off in the distance is the president’s Promised Land, America made great again.?
“It will all be worth the price that must be paid,” promises Trump.?
And we wait for the hammer to fall.?
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