If Donald Trump thought Canada was going to crumble in the face of tariffs, he just received a rude awakening from it prime minister, Justin Trudeau. Unfortunately, it’s an awakening that we 99% will pay for.

“Should these tariffs not cease,” Trudeau warned in a televised address, “we are in active and ongoing discussions with provinces and territories to pursue several non-tariff measures. Measures which will demonstrate that there are no winners in a trade war.” In other words, if Trump doesn't ditch the tariffs, expect retaliation.

Trudeau went on to stress that this is not something he wants. Addressing the American people, he said, “We want to work with you as a friend and ally, and we don't want to see you hurt either.” But he also made it clear it’s Trump who will have to back off if a trade war is to be avoided. “Your government has chosen to do this to you,” he added. He noted that markets are down, “inflation is set to rise dramatically” and “your government has chosen to put American jobs at risk at the thousands of workplaces that succeed because of materials from Canada or because of consumers in Canada.”

The prime minister added that Trump’s trade war will hurt Americans and their families. “They [Trump and his billionaire bros] have chosen to raise costs for American consumers on everyday essential items like groceries and gas, on major purchases like cars and homes and everything in between,” Trudeau said. “They have chosen to harm American national security, impeding access to the abundant critical minerals, energy, building materials and fertilizers that we have and that the United States needs to grow and prosper.”

Trudeau also pointed out the senseless stupidity of the whole thing. “They've chosen to sabotage their own agenda that was supposed to usher in a new golden age for the United States, and they've chosen to undermine the incredible work we've done together to tackle the scourge that is fentanyl, a drug that must be wiped from the face of the earth,” Trudeau continued. “So, on that point, let me be crystal clear. There is absolutely no justification or need whatsoever for these tariffs today.”

He's 100% right about the idiocy of Trump’s tariffs and about whom they will hurt.