Donald Trump’s tweet that he had replaced his top diplomat didn’t so much spread around world capitals, as detonate. He voted nine times out of nine to oppose trade barriers and four times out of four to oppose trade subsidies. Canada may be on slightly firmer ground on military spending – the other explicit link to tariff exemptions made by Trump. The plan to add capability was reportedly well-received in Washington and helps explain, in part, the generally good odour in which Canada is held. But the plan requires a quadrupling of capital spending over six years to $13 billion, after years of spending not much over $3 billion.

Source: National Post March 13, 2018 21:22 UTC