Politicians here in Canada have been quick to distance themselves from Trump because of his threats to annex the country as a 51st state. But at the same time as they grandstand about opposing Trump and his plans for the world, they continue along as partners in his effort to grow the market for oil and gas by any means necessary.

Where do Danielle Smith’s loyalties lie? People asked this question after she revealed on MAGA-aligned media that she counselled Trump officials to pause the tariffs until after Canada’s federal election is over. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is close to Trump’s agenda, she said, but the trade war is boosting Liberal support.

How truly deflating it must be for The Hub to have its hopes for a right-wing makeover of our country spiked in a matter of weeks by Trumpism. It was no doubt licking its chops over what regulations to remove first, but its expected victory lap has reverted to it again weakly trying to help the Conservatives as they vainly chase the more prudent Liberals.

Amidst Donald Trump’s belligerence Canada continues to assist the US military and arms industry. In response to the president’s hostility, writes Canadian Dimension columnist Yves Engler, Canada should cancel the Lockheed Martin F-35 contract, end officer exchanges, and cease our participation in NORAD’s missile defence program.

Fortunately, we don’t have to rely on campaign literature to discern Mark Carney’s vision for the future. The decades he’s spent in both the private sector and the public service, as well as his 2021 book, Value(s): Building a Better World for All, offer important insights into the political imagination of the central banker who would be prime minister.

The international community’s failure to act on Sudan has left small diasporas to shoulder the lives of millions—exhausted and unable to set down grief, the Sudanese put their lives on the line to get people to care and open a door. Sudan’s future continues to lie with the same vultures that hold a stake in the country’s continued bloodshed.

Whether Donald Trump’s tariffs remain for long, we must decouple our economy from the United States as much and as quickly as possible, writes political economist and University of Alberta professor emeritus Gordon Laxer. It will not be easy, but if we summon the resolve we showed in the Second World War, when we built whole industries from scratch, it can be done.

Engaging the United States did not work for Iran: Trump unilaterally and illegally withdrew from the JCPOA nuclear agreement. Engaging the US did not work for Canada: it did everything the Trump administration asked for, virtually eliminating the fentanyl crossing the border; yet it will now feel the harsh pain of 25 percent tariffs. Iran learned its lesson. Will Canada do the same?

As the Cuban Revolution enters its 66th year, the country is still in a difficult position, perhaps its most difficult since the overthrow of the Batista government in 1959. Many of the struggles of the Special Period remain, not to mention a migration crisis, hundreds of thousands of Cubans having left recently and more attempting to leave through various channels, some dangerous.

I was recently arrested for social media posts critical of Israel and spent five days in jail to win the right to respond to Dahlia Kurtz, the Zionist influencer who pursued harassment charges against me. My experience fits in with a long history of Canadian police and intelligence services targeting critics of Israel—and includes close ties to their Israeli counterparts.