I am frequently asked what to make of President Trump’s intentions towards Canada and what we are to do about them. On the former, I do not know, and I suspect there is no way of really knowing. On the latter, however, Canada must have a plan.

The facts are clear: President Trump was prepared, on a pretence, to jettison the almost entirely tariff-free trade that has defined the Canadian-American economic relationship for three and a half decades. He appeared prepared to even discard the trade agreement that he signed in his first term. Then, equally on a pretence, he cancelled that plan for 30 days. We do not know what the plan is after that, or if there is one.