Two fundamental issues that Canadian politicians and media keep hidden from Canadians. First, in the 2025 U.S. Supreme Court decision last year about tariffs, the court outlined that the executive branch can constitutionally ban trade with another country. Second, the U.S. can exit the USMCA with a six-month notification.

There is an awful lot of pretending and gaslighting within this general discussion segment; purposefully advanced to keep the Canadian people in the dark. However, that said, Canada’s chief trade negotiator to the United States, Janice Charette does admit that tariff free access to the U.S market is lost forever.

Janice Charette is participating in a discussion at the Toronto Global Forum, where she is questioned by Brian Tobin, vice chair of the BMO Financial Group about the trade relationship with the United States and the opinion that many Canadian officials have espoused that Canada just needs to outlast President Donald Trump.

Charette informs the audience that regardless of who is the U.S. President, tariffs will likely remain in place permanently because the amount of revenue being generated to the U.S. Treasury is too great for any President or congress to stop. PROMPTED – WATCH:

While almost all of her analysis is flawed, skewed and seriously underestimates the nature of the dynamic that Canada is facing, what Janice Charette outlines about how Donald Trump has shifted the national revenue model using global tariffs to offset national expenditures (her baseline) is accurate.

Beyond her statement it is worth pausing for a moment and using Charette’s frame of reference to reconsider the post WWII European revenue model.  It was/is President Trump’s model in reverse.

The Marshal plan, was essentially one-way tariffs on American trade that provided one-way benefits (revenue) that permitted the EU to rebuild after the second world war.  To Charlette’s framework, how willing was the EU mindset to change this beneficial economic outcome?

Answer: The EU fought it (and is still fighting it), perceiving the elimination of that benefit as an existential threat to their economic power. The EU became reliant on the Marshal Plan.

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In a series of posts to his X account, Elon Musk has called the baby ugly as it pertains to Ukraine and the DC system that benefits from the continued funding exploits.  This response appears to be pushback against those who are blaming him for restricting the use of Starlink systems.

[SOURCE]

A few hours before this post, the Wall Street Journal published yet another article on the Starlink/Starshield dynamic where they attempted to walk back part of their prior false reporting – yet frame the new information as Musk was still to blame.

(VIA WSJ) – The Ukrainian military says the disruption of its use of Starlink satellites is having a significant impact on Kyiv’s defenses against Russia’s invasion. The slowdown triggered a wave of finger-pointing, much of it focused on the difference between SpaceX’s better-known Starlink service for consumers and its Starshield service for government users.

SpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk ordered the slowdown and discussed the decision in a call with President Trump, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday. U.S. officials said Trump called Musk Wednesday and asked him to lift restrictions. But Ukrainian officials said they were still suffering from low-speed limits early on Friday.

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Most punditry avoid noticing that President Trump’s Emissary Steve Witkoff stands alone as he communicates directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Those same pundits seemingly skip over the dynamic where the Russian government, led by Federation President Putin, permit television cameras to open these talks to the public for viewing.

These two points are remarkable by themselves when you take the history of the relationship between Russia and the United States into context. After all, trust has always been the missing element in both directions. However, the brutal and pragmatic honesty presented by President Donald Trump has created a new map within engagement.

Do not discount how angry the system within Washington DC is about President Trump using executive emissaries, that are outside their control. Never underestimate the professional level of hatred carried by DC politicians toward President Trump on this issue alone.  They despise his outmaneuvering.

When Mr. Witkoff is received by Russia, the statue of Witkoff as a person is framed around the respect that Russian leadership have for who Witkoff represents. He stands alone in the room but carries the weight of President Trump in all measures as reviewed by the Russian delegation. Quite remarkable.

Vladimir Putin held a meeting with US President’s Special Envoy Steve Witkoff in the Constantine Palace. On the Russian side, the meeting was attended by Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov and Special Presidential Representative for Investment and Economic Cooperation with Foreign Countries, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) Kirill Dmitriev. Video and Transcript Below:

[Transcript] –President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr Witkoff, we are delighted to see you – this time in St Petersburg.

We know that yesterday you had a meeting in Norway, and I would like to hear about its outcome.

I would like to thank you and President Trump for your attention to the resolution of the Ukraine crisis. I know that it is a special matter for President Trump, primarily for humanitarian reasons. In our conversations, including our most recent conversation over the phone, he emphasised the importance of ending this conflict to prevent further losses among the personnel on both sides.

Of course, it goes beyond military losses. The civilian population is suffering. In this regard, please pass my most sincere gratitude not only to the President but also to First Lady [Melania Trump] for her contribution to resolving humanitarian issues.

I believe both sides would be interested in discussing plans for restoring our bilateral relations, the Russia-US contacts, including economic cooperation.

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Yesterday several cities and urban areas throughout France began using curfews in an attempt to stop the riots and looting that have erupted throughout the country.  Today, they announce the military will be mobilized to support police efforts.

FRANCE – France is set to deploy the military to the streets to maintain order as protests in the country escalate.

The Sentinelle force, created in 2015 after a wave of terrorist attacks in Paris, will be used “mainly on static security missions.”

French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez told lawmakers that the deployment can free up police officers and gendarmes to carry out law enforcement operations.

Elsewhere, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said the government will carry out a “massive” security operation next weekend to prevent new incidents. He also claimed that there will be new curfews “where the situation requires it.”

The decision led to reduced chaos on Monday night, according to Lecornu. Some areas, including Les Halles and parts of central Lyon saw a curfew last night. Lille and Nice imposed curfews for minors.

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Following remarks outlining successful results from the Federal Fraud Taskforce initiative, President Trump took questions from the assembled press pool.  WATCH: 

President Trump noted the federal government savings from fraud prevention will help stop the spending deficit within the federal budget. The scale of fraud is substantial and efforts to prosecute those who take advantage of federal subsidy programs is having a great deal of success.

President Trump also answered questions about Ukraine, Russia, NATO, European mass migration from third-world countries, the riots in France and more.

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This is a very interesting public presser from Ukraine President Zelenskyy, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere and a subdued Finnish President Alexander Stubb.  This press event follows President Trump Emissary Steve Witkoff meeting with Zelenskyy, Stoere and Stubb.

Steve Witkoff leaves Norway and is going to St Petersburg to meet with Russian Federation Vladimir Putin tomorrow.

When asked why Witkoff was not present {10:00}, the host PM Jonas Stoere says, “this is a press conference among political leaders,” and then quickly moves on.  Both Stoere and Stubb are very subdued from their prior public statements that put themselves in opposition to the U.S. Trump administration and now suddenly reverse and say it is important for them to remain engaged with the USA effort and for all EU nations to support discussions with Russia.

Following Stubb {@13:00} Zelenskyy notes that Witkoff traveling to meet with Putin tomorrow is very important, and he is very happy that “early warning systems” are working and “it’s great.”  Zelenskyy repeated referenced the call with Secretary Marco Rubio in outlining a shift in tone that is suddenly very appreciative of the USA support.  A very curious shift.  WATCH:

As previously noted, there is an early plan for China (Xi), Russia (Putin) and the USA (Trump) to meet on the sidelines of the APEC summit next month in China.  Little man Zelenskyy clarifies his prior comments about a trilateral meeting by saying that his comments were directed to a possible U.S, Russia, Ukraine trilateral meeting and not the APEC sideline.

At 16:00 Peter Baker (NYT) obviously notes the tone change visible in this presser and asks about what is going on?  Baker was taken aback when Zelenskyy, Stubb and Stoere affirm the positive and constructive meeting with Steve Witkoff, and “there is nothing to gain” by looking at things said yesterday, said Stoere.

Finland President Stubb joins with very complimentary statements of Steve Witkoff affirming his belief this meeting has clarified a lot of issues that now lead toward peace.   “Today was a big success” Stubb emphasized as the press conference concludes.

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio answers questions from media while visiting India.  The major focus of the questions to Rubio surrounded Ukraine and the conflicting stories from Zelenskyy.

Secretary Rubio noted he had just completed a 45-minute phone call with Zelenskyy where Rubio talked to the Ukraine President about his continued promotion of false reports to media about U.S. support and assistance.  As noted, Rubio emphasized nothing substantive has changed in the U.S. support profile with Ukraine and President Trump has not modified any security arrangement at all.  Zelenskyy is just making stuff up.

Rubio noted that Ukraine is targeting U.S. commercial shipping in the Black Sea and that has to stop. That was part of the phone call.  Additionally, Rubio emphasized how Ukraine officials are just “making stuff up” for some reason, that can best be considered a Ukraine political operation against the Trump White House.  WATCH:

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Many Americans wonder why Ukraine is a central issue in the USA midterm election.  To those voices I would remind them that all aligned individuals and organizations who support the premise of Ukraine are core adversaries to the America-First doctrine.  At the end of every anti-Trump voice, is an alignment with Ukraine. At this point it’s impossible to ignore. Once you see it you can never unsee it.

There is a very specific way that Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly describes contacts with the U.S. administration when he is unable to manipulate the narrative within the conversation. What follows below is an example of that.

Note the difference in Zelenskyy’s tone.

[SOURCE]

The reality of dealing with a person skilled in diplomatic clarity (Rubio) is unnerving to those who are skilled at diplomatic political theater (Zelenskyy); their tone retreats, because the conversation is no longer swirling around pretense.

Zelenskyy, feeling empowered due to the anti-Trump elements that support him, speaks in a passive-aggressive tone and a disrespectful manner when generally talking about the Trump administration.

Zelenskyy’s prism is very narrow, self-centered, combative and bitter when he anticipates not getting his demands met. The most common reference for this expressed mindset is a teenage daughter who wants something indulgent, but her Mom/Dad is not willing to give in to the demands and expectations.  The daughter’s sympathetic friends are codependent enablers.

In the latest development, Zelenskyy is traveling to Oslo, Norway, where he will be surrounded by his codependents as he meets yet again with President Trump’s Emissary Steve Witkoff.  Why Norway? Why does Zelenskyy need to be surrounded by EU enablers when discussing terms and conditions?  The media always pretends not to notice this pattern.

In Norway Zelenskyy will be supported by Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere and Finland’s President Alexander Stubb.  I would remind readers that it was Norwegian PM Stoere who previously claimed Russia had attacked Zelenskyy’s airplane in Moldova with a drone strike – that nonsense was entirely made up yet spread by EU media quickly.

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In an optically smart move by French authorities, the main shopping and tourist regions of Paris are now under a localized curfew as police try to stop the riots, arson and looting – yet maintain the important tourism aspect.  Other towns in France are also ordering curfews in the districts with the spreading violence.

CBC – Paris police issued an overnight curfew on Monday in two areas of the French capital in efforts to prevent further violence, after a weekend marred by France’s worst rioting in years that targeted city halls, other public buildings and thousands of businesses across the country.

The order aims to protect “people and property from the violence and looting,” the Paris police statement said.

The curfew prohibits anyone from entering or remaining on the Place de la République, where rioting took place Saturday, and the shopping neighbourhood of Les Halles, which has been subject to looting.

The curfew will be in effect from 11 p.m. local time Monday until 6 a.m. Tuesday. In addition, gatherings and demonstrations are banned from 8 p.m., the Paris police said.

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CTH doesn’t put as much weight on the strategic planning of President Trump as outlined by the folks at Promethean Action.  The results Trump achieves may end up at the same destination, but Trump’s geopolitical map to get there is not as predictable as Mike Steger may propose.

That said, there is some good insight as Steger interprets what he believes is in the background of President Trump’s larger objective with the Ukraine-Russia conflict in general, and with Russia specifically.

In this Sunday Overview, Mike Steger breaks down Trump’s broader strategy toward Russia, Ukraine, and Europe, examining how energy agreements, economic reconstruction, and security guarantees could lay the foundation for a new international order. As European governments face mounting debt and political pressure, Mike examines Volodymyr Zelensky, Marine Le Pen, Alice Weidel, and the growing debate over Europe’s economic future. Drawing on Otto von Bismarck, World War I, British geopolitics, and the American System, Mike explores why he believes Trump’s strategy could reverse more than a century of conflict and usher in a new era of industrial growth and Western civilization.  WATCH:

Chapters:

00:00 Trump’s Strategy to Reshape Europe
01:10 The Three Pillars of Trump’s Peace Plan
02:30 Trump’s Economic Pressure Campaign
04:10 Ukraine and Europe’s Financial Crisis

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