Canada Day long weekend marks 151 years from July 1st, 1867 when three colonies of the British Empire merged into one Dominion called ‘Canada’. I remember it being called ‘Dominion Day’ before 1982, the year Canada claimed its Constitution as its own…from that year onward legal ties with the United Kingdom were cut and only the Canadian parliment would be able to amend the constitution. Canada also adopted a Charter of Rights and Freedoms in 1982. I remember that part most of all…but getting back to Canada Day 2018…it’s a summer party, a long weekend celebration in parks and backyards… barbecues, ice cream, marshmallows, corn on the cob, red and white flags, t-shirts and hats, tacky red sugar flags on donuts, swimming, slip and slides, booze, bonfires and fireworks and a HEAT WAVE … a spike of heat and humidity not felt for a long time.
We partied Saturday night and now I write, freshly showered after watering the garden, sitting beside the comfort of a fan. Staying cool is essential these days with temperatures melting equanimity…I try to not dwell on how Prime Minister Trudeau and President Trump either deny or dabble with climate change treaty commitments. President Trump decided to add excitement to the international trade arena… he recently introduced tariffs on steel and aluminum imports and this weekend, as a Canada Day present, our Prime Minister announced Canada’s ‘retaliatory tariffs’…sounds like a trade war to me…Happy Canada Day! Happy Independence Day! Let’s hope this tariff chest thumping is only a phase and that all involved will find ways to improve cooperation rather than create competition.
border trade disputes
echos of school yard fights
blood in the dust
~
©2018 Ontheland
Wikipedia has a “Trump tariffs” article that may be of interest. The steel and aluminum tariffs are directed at imports from Canada, Mexico and the European Union.
Ontheland 
Yes, it’s a trade war, and Canada does have to send a return volley. It’s that or bow to that pompous ass we have in the White House. In my opinion, the responsibility for this rests squarely on Trump’s shoulders. His stance is a blow to the gut of the American economy.
I remember that back in the eighties (I’m sure as a result of Canada’s “rebirth”), Buffalo, NY, and Fort Erie, Ont., would hold joint week-long cross-border festivities, spanning Canada Day through Independence Day.
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Our economies are so intertwined it’s hard to imagine how tariffs could benefit anyone.
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Despite our leadership, I hope we will remain friends. But Trump does deserve a good slap in the face. At the least…(K)
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I am hoping that this trade tariff fling is temporary…it can’t be beneficial to the populace in general… it is simply amazing how he gets away with such policies (a few buckets of water may be warranted to wake up all those who have power at the White House)…
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Very very cold buckets of water…
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:))
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Happy Holiday weekend to you. Being that the 4th fell mid week this year our July holiday was awkward –
Yes, I agree with your haiku… though now a days one can’t even have a proper fight on the school yard without some drastic intervention. If leadership could just see how they are hurting each other… and the people they are supposed to be caring for.
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In some places (eg White House) responsibility and caring seem to have flown out the window.
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Every country has their own politics…
Some encourage the destruction of ancient artifacts and even whole groups of people.
A good many of those countries have no ties to the ‘English’ speakers of the world.
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