Today was supposed to be the day!
This was the day that the United States was to officially impose 25 per cent tariffs on some Canadian imports — prior to a last-minute reprieve from U.S. President Donald Trump.
This was the date in time when we were to begin a trade war with those who have been our greatest trading partner and, up until now, our besties.
Canada and the U.S. are still at odds. I never thought that would happen and I certainly never wanted it to.
Let me say, off the top, I am no economist and I don’t know how all the back-and-forth trade negotiations work.
What I did hear and understand was Canadian experts saying this could push Canada into a recession within six months.
I feel completely unsettled and overwhelmed and, for the first time in my adult life, I have experienced true fear for what is to come.
As we heard from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Saturday night, he was planning to implement 25 per cent retaliatory tariffs affecting certain U.S. goods.
“We didn’t ask for this, but we will not back down.”
These measures are now on pause.
As Trudeau spoke, though, I felt my patriotism rising inside me like a flame.
Where’s my flag? Where’s the poutine?
In my immature way, my thoughts went to Kevin in Home Alone as he prepared to save his family home from the attack of the Wet Bandits.
“This is my home. I have to protect it.”
That’s exactly how I felt.
Canadians are kind, polite and too apologetic, but we are not and never have been pushovers or doormats.
While on the one hand I was upset thinking about how this was all going to pit friends against friends on Facebook and in real life, on the other hand I realized it’s a line in the sand.
If it has to be us against them, I have to choose us — Team Canada.
That’s not easy for me, as I have always loved many things American. It was always my go-to choice for vacation. I loved the variety of merchandise for shopping. They have some of the best restaurants.
I loved their flag, their amazing parades, their state funerals and most of their people.
So, it’s going to be really hard to decide not to give my Canadian dollars to their economy, at least until Trump is gone.
I know we are being urged to buy here at home, and I will promise to start looking at labels and doing my best to support Canada, Ontario and the local community.
I’m sure sometimes I will get it wrong and buy something that was made in America when I thought it was manufactured here.
We, all of us, will have to do more research on what companies and products are truly Canadian.
For instance, Amazon. Is ordering through Amazon Canada still lining the pockets of Jeff Bezos? My Google machine (oh, crap, is that American?) tells me while Bezos is no longer the CEO of the whole company, he remains the largest shareholder.
So, as I say, we will all have to decide where we stand and how we can protect our homeland as best we can.
Even as people are posting what products are Canadian, we must do our due diligence and double check. No doubt, the scammers will be out to misrepresent themselves.
It is going to hurt not to vacation in America, but if it cripples Trump and his poisonous policies, it has to be done.
I do not hate Americans — I do despise Trump as a person, as a leader and as a politician.
I do not understand those who voted for him, and it is not about politics. It's deeper than that. It's about humanity.
So, I am choosing sides in this trade battle.
I will happily enjoy my Coffee Crisp candy bar and my maple syrup-dipped pancakes while being thankful for insulin, the electric wheelchair and the fibreglass goalie mask.
I shall raise a toast to Team Canada with my Caesar (which is way better than a Bloody Mary) and munch away on ketchup chips, too.
When I ruin my health, I can rest easy in the knowledge Canada has universal and available medical coverage and I won’t be turned away from getting help.
While U.S. citizens are watching the price of their precious eggs skyrocket, I will feel good knowing that even egg cartons were invented in Canada.
As was the garbage bag with which I will toss out American trash.