Dear Canadians: This Is Your Chance to Prove That You Really Are Better Than Us

Rise above the pettiness of the immoral U.S. trade and immigration wars.

Dear Canadians,

I have learned in the 30 years since arriving on the North American continent that you sometimes have a slight inferiority complex with respect to us, your immediate southern neighbors. Some of it may emanate from the fact that you subconsciously wished that you had had the guts to throw off the yoke of British rule like we did. Some because we have overall been more successful (you haven’t done badly, but...). Some simply because there are more of us than you. And, just perhaps, some may be because deep down you know that Canadian “bacon” isn’t the real thing.

Whatever the reasons, your moment to show that you really are better than us is here. Inferiority complex or not, we’ve been friends and allies for centuries, something Mr. Trump appears intent on ending. But herein lies your opportunity, served by POTUS on a silver(plated) platter. Instead of responding to his immoral trade and immigration initiatives with tit-for-tat, rise above the pettiness and show us—and the world—how to conduct international relations. Give us a dose of our own medicine that we seem to have relegated to the back of the cabinet for more than a century—the ability to think right or wrong, not left or right and to respect and protect individual rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Show us that you Canadians are independent enough to charge right ahead without an official Declaration to fall back on.

I have three areas for you: (1) Tariffs, subsidies and import restrictions, (2) immigration, and (3) territorial expansion. Let’s take them in order.

Tariffs, Subsidies, and Import Restrictions

Show your respect for the individual rights of every Canadian by unilaterally removing tariffs and other import restrictions on all U.S.—and subsidies on all Canadian—products and services. Not overnight as businesses and individuals currently benefiting from or being dependent on them will need some time to adjust. But you may for instance reduce tariffs and subsidies by 1/5 per year over the next five years and announce an end to all other import restrictions within a similar timeframe as well. And if you want to supercharge economic growth by making Canada a free trade zone, then extend the same policy to other countries as well. It won’t be long before you become the envy of the world (including the U.S.).

The Trump administration may insist on continuing to punish Canadian exports to the U.S., thereby violating the rights of both Canadian and U.S. businesses and individuals to trade freely with one another. As part of a rational Canadian trade policy, you should call out this immoral infraction. But it would be equally immoral of you to reciprocate with similar measures as it reduces the protection of the individual rights of every Canadian. You don’t fight immorality with immorality. As Canadians, you can occupy the moral high ground by refusing to play a game that has no winners. As economic growth takes off in a free trade Canada, other countries, including the U.S., will eventually realize the folly of choking their prospects for human flourishing by having tariffs, subsidies, and other import restrictions of their own.

Immigration

Make immigration to your country free for U.S. permanent residents. It’s already relatively easy, but you can make it even more so by removing all restrictions incl. province specific programs, except having a criminal record (according to Canadian law). To encourage the creme-de-la-creme of productive Americans to look north, exclude us from your welfare state programs until becoming Canadian citizens. And feel free to make the current citizenship eligibility rules less generous. Together, these measures should keep out the freeloaders. To facilitate joining the workforce, remove obstacles to work such as government mandated (federal and province) professional licensing. The marketplace is perfectly capable of filling that need in areas where providers and consumers desire it.

Territorial Expansion

Finally, while you’re at it, just for giggles, why not extend an official invitation to U.S. border states to become Canadian provinces? That should raise Mr. Trump’s blood pressure and jolt his buffoonish 51^st state “real-estate" ambitions.

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By rising above the pettiness of the immoral U.S. trade and immigration wars you will set an example for the world to emulate. And who knows, instead of asking to have the Statue of Liberty returned, the French (who don’t deserve it either) may just ask it to be sent north of the border. I’m sure you'll find a suitable location by Horseshoe Falls where we can longingly watch and mourn its loss from our side.