Rebel News Podcast - How the US reached 4.1% GDP growth — when economists said it was impossible

00:00:00.000 Tonight, the United States just clocked in with GDP growth of 4.1%, something economists

00:00:06.100 said was impossible.

00:00:07.540 So how did it happen?

00:00:09.120 It's July 27th, and you're watching The Ezra LeVant Show.

00:00:17.700 Why should others go to jail when you're a biggest carbon consumer I know?

00:00:21.500 There's 8,500 customers here, and you won't give them an answer.

00:00:25.220 You come here once a year with a sign, and you feel morally superior.

00:00:28.200 The only thing I have to say to the government about why I publish it is because it's my

00:00:33.220 bloody right to do so.

00:00:38.640 The United States just recorded a stunning GDP growth rate, 4.1%.

00:00:44.500 The economy is roaring, record employment, wages climbing, unemployment at or near record

00:00:50.380 lows, especially for blacks and Hispanics.

00:00:52.420 I normally hate it when politicians say, I'm going to create jobs, or I have a plan

00:00:58.740 to create jobs, because politicians don't create jobs other than government jobs, which

00:01:03.060 they only create by taxing other real jobs.

00:01:06.080 But I think that maybe, for the first time ever, it's fair to say that the President of

00:01:10.700 the United States can actually take some credit for creating jobs, not just for getting out

00:01:15.580 of the way of job creators.

00:01:17.500 That's normally what conservatives promise in campaigns.

00:01:20.700 I'll create jobs by cutting red tape, or by cutting taxes.

00:01:24.480 That's what Ronald Reagan did.

00:01:26.760 Paradoxically, when both Ronald Reagan and John F. Kennedy cut tax rates, did you know they

00:01:32.400 actually received more tax revenues?

00:01:34.940 Because the economy did so well.

00:01:37.880 They were taking a smaller slice of the pie, but the pie itself was so much larger.

00:01:41.540 But I think Donald Trump goes further, because he isn't just cutting taxes, which he did,

00:01:47.540 the biggest tax cut in U.S. history.

00:01:50.620 A tax cut that many companies immediately passed on to their workers, by the way, in the form

00:01:55.300 of bonuses or raises, which is incredible and a sign of confidence in the future, don't

00:01:59.720 you think?

00:02:00.340 But to me, the symbolic moment was when Apple, the huge tech company, decided for the first

00:02:05.680 time in years that it made sense to bring home all of the cash that they had squirreled

00:02:12.120 away in low-tax jurisdictions, because now America was a low-tax jurisdiction.

00:02:18.020 They brought home a quarter of a trillion dollars.

00:02:22.240 Huge, or as Trump would say, huge.

00:02:26.000 Trump also cut red tape, of course, yeah.

00:02:28.320 I mean, anyone who campaigns on digging coal, you can imagine he's for everything else in

00:02:33.560 industry, too, like oil and gas and steel.

00:02:35.980 So he did cut red tape, but more importantly, he signaled to every industry in America and

00:02:41.560 around the world that he's not going to hurt them.

00:02:45.540 So the opposite of the message, Canada is sending by blocking pipelines and blocking mines

00:02:50.160 and bringing in a carbon tax.

00:02:51.800 Every industrialist would be thinking in Canada, am I going to be hit next?

00:02:56.780 Am I going to be hit next?

00:02:57.540 But in America, it's the reverse.

00:02:58.760 There's a certainty that things will at least stay as good as they are now, but they can

00:03:04.040 only get better, and they might.

00:03:05.420 So that's the taxes and the regulations that Trump did.

00:03:09.320 And that's as far as almost any other conservative would ever go.

00:03:12.800 But Trump did something different, something unorthodox, something that scared traditional

00:03:18.540 libertarian free market economists.

00:03:21.440 Trump threatened a trade war with countries that are blocking American exports.

00:03:25.420 And that are dumping cheap products in the American market at below cost to drive American

00:03:32.860 industries out of business, steel being a key example.

00:03:35.520 Now, you might think cheap steel, that's great.

00:03:38.040 That makes everything cheaper from cars to skyscrapers, sure.

00:03:41.240 But when all of your American steel companies are driven out of business by subsidized Chinese 1.00

00:03:46.480 government steel, and then when they close up shop, well, then you're at the mercy of the

00:03:52.260 Chinese steel companies, aren't you?

00:03:53.540 Not just the mercy of their prices then, but whether or not they'll actually sell to you

00:03:57.560 at all.

00:03:57.940 And China is an enemy, or at least a potential enemy, just as much as Russia is probably more. 0.93

00:04:04.920 And the same thing goes with oil, by the way.

00:04:06.700 Trump has greenlit so many oil and gas deals, including in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

00:04:14.140 Same thing.

00:04:14.700 It's great for American jobs, but it also removes the national security threat of America having

00:04:19.220 to buy so much of its oil from OPEC again.

00:04:22.160 Think about that.

00:04:22.740 The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

00:04:24.740 You would have thought that it would be politically impossible to ever drill there again after the

00:04:28.920 ban.

00:04:29.220 It was banned throughout Obama's term, banned throughout Bush's term, banned, banned, banned.

00:04:33.860 Trump just undid the ban.

00:04:35.240 It's done.

00:04:36.600 So America is booming because of tax cuts and cutting red tape.

00:04:40.260 And his big promise to the auto industry was this.

00:04:43.940 Bring back your factories from Mexico, and Trump will cut that insane leftist regulation. 0.54

00:04:49.220 called CAFE standards.

00:04:51.240 That's Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency.

00:04:53.020 That's what CAFE standards are.

00:04:54.340 It basically makes it impossible to build an affordable car bigger than a sardine can.

00:04:58.840 It's basically an eco-tax on family-sized vehicles like SUVs and small trucks.

00:05:03.400 So it's anti-American.

00:05:04.820 It pretends that Americans love those tiny little Euro cars, Mimi, or Priuses.

00:05:09.860 But note again, his promise to the auto sector was not a bailout like Obama did and like Canada did too.

00:05:16.740 Trump's promise is the opposite.

00:05:18.120 He'll remove what really hurts these companies, these CAFE fuel standards, and he'll take on

00:05:22.460 countries that ban American-made cars with high tariffs by saying, well, then you can't

00:05:28.060 sell your foreign cars in America.

00:05:29.960 And he did that with steel.

00:05:31.260 And he's doing that with agriculture, which is why he's getting into a fight with Justin Trudeau.

00:05:35.740 Trudeau will protect Quebec's dairy cartel.

00:05:38.800 That puts a massive tax on a tariff on U.S. dairy exports to Canada.

00:05:45.620 Trump's first offer to Trudeau, by the way, was let's have full Milton Friedman-style pure

00:05:51.940 free trade both ways.

00:05:53.980 Remember this?

00:05:55.720 Justin has agreed to cut all tariffs and all trade barriers between Canada and the United

00:06:02.680 States.

00:06:03.100 Lots of laughs there, but why laughs?

00:06:06.700 That's Hong Kong-style, Singapore-style trade.

00:06:10.200 That's amazing.

00:06:11.460 Could you imagine if we actually got completely free access to the U.S. market, but Trudeau

00:06:16.360 laughed?

00:06:17.580 Why?

00:06:17.960 By the way, this week, the European Union, I told you yesterday, basically agreed to those

00:06:23.680 exact same terms.

00:06:25.260 And Europe was so happy, their socialist EU president literally kissed Trump.

00:06:32.300 Look at that kiss.

00:06:34.040 Isn't that funny?

00:06:36.300 And now Trump is racing to get a deal with Mexico.

00:06:39.960 Let me get back to how he's doing this, how he's opening up markets around the world for

00:06:44.420 Americans that have been closed for decades.

00:06:46.500 He's threatening. 0.96

00:06:48.000 He's being the bully Trump. 0.57

00:06:49.460 He's threatening tariffs.

00:06:50.520 And just in case you don't take him seriously, he has slapped enormous tariffs on China.

00:06:57.340 Hard, huge, tough.

00:06:59.420 So everyone knows Trump means that if you're going to put tariffs on China, you'll put

00:07:03.360 tariffs on anyone. 0.94

00:07:04.840 Now, Europe saw that and said, well, we don't want to fight with the crazy guy.

00:07:08.460 Do a deal.

00:07:09.000 Get a deal.

00:07:10.060 Yeah, and they got one.

00:07:11.820 Mexico will probably do the same. 0.95

00:07:13.500 They got this new hard left-wing president.

00:07:15.340 He sees China.

00:07:16.600 He doesn't want that treatment.

00:07:18.880 Only Justin Trudeau thinks that maybe Trump's bluffing.

00:07:23.260 Or maybe Trudeau actually wants a trade war for Trudeau's own domestic re-election purposes.

00:07:28.620 But let me get back to Steele.

00:07:30.820 Because it's my favorite story.

00:07:33.500 Remember this ad?

00:07:34.280 I've shown it about three times.

00:07:35.820 It's an ad made by the United Steelworkers of America in the last presidential election

00:07:41.020 against Trump.

00:07:42.520 There's a steelworker who's the star of this ad.

00:07:45.780 He's from Indiana.

00:07:46.640 His name is Jack Tipple.

00:07:47.720 He's actually a Facebook friend of mine, if you can believe it.

00:07:50.000 Take a look at this ad.

00:07:52.120 My name's Jack Tipple, and I've been a steelworker for 24 years.

00:07:57.000 This election is a little bit different.

00:07:58.920 And Donald Trump does talk a good game when it comes to China and Mexico.

00:08:04.160 But let me tell you a little something about Donald Trump.

00:08:06.300 The Chinese have been illegally dumping steel and aluminum into this country.

00:08:12.780 The problem is that Donald Trump is buying this steel and aluminum.

00:08:17.000 And he's using it in his projects.

00:08:19.560 Now Trump says he's going to rebuild the steel industry.

00:08:22.240 That steel could have been made here in Indiana, Pennsylvania, or Ohio.

00:08:26.680 Another thing, Donald Trump says our wages are too high.

00:08:30.400 Let's see him go into one of our plants with his soft hands and work for a day.

00:08:35.240 And then tell us our wages are too high.

00:08:38.860 Donald Trump says he uses bankruptcy as a tool.

00:08:41.820 I've seen what bankruptcy does to our brothers and sisters.

00:08:45.180 I've seen them losing their houses and their cars, unable to provide food to put on their

00:08:49.680 tables, can't pay their bills.

00:08:51.920 We don't have a father that can give us a million dollars and bail us out.

00:08:56.260 Look, Donald Trump is nothing more than a boss.

00:08:58.440 And when you go to pull that lever on November 8th, think if that's who you want as your boss.

00:09:12.220 That's tough stuff, isn't it?

00:09:15.180 But Donald Trump actually did something about all that.

00:09:18.840 No more cheap steel dumping.

00:09:21.160 Trump got so tough with China, the whole world was shocked and scared.

00:09:26.840 And now look at what's happening in America.

00:09:29.660 Listen to this.

00:09:30.300 Now this goes to my first point.

00:09:31.320 Normally politicians, when they say they create jobs, they're taking credit for someone else's

00:09:35.520 work, right?

00:09:36.320 Sort of like an economic version of stolen valor, you know, where you falsely wear military

00:09:40.780 medals.

00:09:41.700 But listen to this steel worker.

00:09:43.780 Talk about what he's been through, like Jack Tipple did.

00:09:47.900 And then talk about Trump some 550 days after Trump was inaugurated.

00:09:53.120 Take a listen to this.

00:09:54.180 On behalf of my work family here at Grand City Works, I thank you, Mr. President.

00:09:58.940 It truly is a family here.

00:10:02.420 I see the familiar faces of the people I've known for years and every day.

00:10:07.300 As I grew up with most of you, went to school with most of you, or your parents.

00:10:13.300 As plant manager, it was difficult laying off people and getting the calls.

00:10:17.860 After the layoff, hearing about the struggles, hearing about their personal lives, hearing

00:10:25.520 about the community, how it was suffering.

00:10:31.380 However, the plant was able to come back thanks to all the hard work from every one of you

00:10:37.380 and the dedication from every one of you, and your support, Mr. President.

00:10:45.300 I look around here today, and I see the smiling faces.

00:11:00.680 We owe that to you, Mr. President.

00:11:03.300 Thank you very much.

00:11:04.280 Thank you very much.

00:11:04.980 That's real.

00:11:07.440 That's real life.

00:11:09.280 That's not just a tax cut.

00:11:11.500 That's not just removing regulations.

00:11:14.540 That's saying to China, no more rigged rules.

00:11:17.320 No more blocking American exports to China while dumping subsidized killer goods into America 0.89

00:11:23.800 to shut down American industry.

00:11:25.420 Jack Tipple, my Facebook buddy, it's not really my buddies, but we're friends on Facebook.

00:11:30.960 He won't answer my questions about whether or not he'll vote Trump next time.

00:11:34.980 It doesn't matter.

00:11:36.100 Every other steelworker in his factory will.

00:11:39.500 I guarantee you that.

00:11:41.980 That's what's happening.

00:11:43.280 For the first time in memory, America actually has a builder, a businessman, entrepreneur, dealmaker,

00:11:51.060 as president.

00:11:52.060 What a contrast from this guy.

00:11:55.060 If you've got a business, you didn't build that.

00:11:58.460 Somebody else made that happen.

00:12:01.640 You didn't build.

00:12:02.560 He goes on.

00:12:03.740 You didn't build that.

00:12:04.600 You didn't build that.

00:12:05.460 You didn't build that.

00:12:06.180 Really?

00:12:06.540 What's he ever built, that community organizer?

00:12:09.120 No wonder growth was stagnant under Obama.

00:12:11.300 Say, up here in Canada, have you ever heard someone say, dear Justin Trudeau, thanks for creating jobs.

00:12:21.300 I've never heard it.

00:12:22.200 I'm paying attention.

00:12:22.940 You hear, thanks for the handout, or thanks for the bailout, or thanks for the subsidy.

00:12:29.160 You hear Bombardier say, thanks for the money.

00:12:32.220 You even have weirdness like Trudeau overpaying by $1 billion for a 70-year-old Kinder Morgan existing Trans Mountain pipeline.

00:12:41.460 Weird because we're overpaying by a billion dollars for the pipeline that's already there, but that doesn't get the expansion done.

00:12:48.040 But no one ever says, thanks for creating jobs, because he's not creating jobs, is he?

00:12:55.320 Instead, he's got this bizarre obsession with carbon taxes that most Canadians are against, according to polls, that the premiers are against, that the world, other countries are against.

00:13:07.440 But you have economic illiterates, like Global Warming Minister Catherine McKenna, actually saying that paying a carbon tax will create jobs or something.

00:13:19.340 Carbon pricing works.

00:13:20.660 Why?

00:13:21.200 Because it reduces emissions at the lowest cost, while also growing the economy.

00:13:28.580 Yeah, no, no.

00:13:29.820 That's scary-dom.

00:13:32.040 But there are no grown-ups around to stop her.

00:13:35.000 Even some Ottawa journalists think she's just so wrong.

00:13:40.880 Not many journalists do, but some do.

00:13:42.920 Here's Evan Solomon.

00:13:43.720 Remember this from earlier this year?

00:13:45.180 There's a line between being optimistic and being out of touch with the reality of what this administration is doing.

00:13:51.020 They want to renegotiate NAFTA.

00:13:52.440 They're going to start that 90-day process.

00:13:54.520 They've already rolled back environmental rules from the Obama administration.

00:13:59.180 Again, it just sounds like no matter what they do, you're just saying, we'll make our case, our train has left the station, we're not budging for Trump.

00:14:06.860 So let's not say it's our train, it's the global train.

00:14:10.000 I'm sorry, that was from last year, excuse me.

00:14:12.280 That train, I don't know where she's train-spotting this global train for global warming, but the European Union, as I mentioned, they just got on the Trump train.

00:14:20.260 And Mexico is about to get on the Trump train, too.

00:14:24.180 And pretty much anyone who wants to do business.

00:14:27.120 You have to be a builder, a tax cutter, a regulation cutter, but he's actually reshaping the entire world, blasting down barriers.

00:14:34.620 I mean, he's all those things that conservatives are traditionally, but he's doing something more.

00:14:39.340 He's actually more effective at getting Milton Friedman-style, Fraser Institute-style free trade between nations than true libertarians ever have been,

00:14:48.560 because he's not afraid to threaten tariffs to get the free trade.

00:14:52.660 Isn't that interesting?

00:14:53.800 Isn't that the Trumpy way?

00:14:56.060 Threaten economic disaster like a bully to get the other side so scared they'll liberalize their markets to get an economic benefit.

00:15:04.260 It is working far better than the unilateral declarations of free trade of the past, isn't it?

00:15:11.100 So you've got booming industry at home.

00:15:13.620 You've got booming exports.

00:15:14.900 And most of all, you have confidence in America that for the first time in memory, someone loves the idea of economic growth and industrial growth.

00:15:23.680 GDP.

00:15:24.480 GDP stands for Gross Domestic Product.

00:15:26.940 It's another way of saying how much everyone in the whole country made economically, goods and services.

00:15:31.340 So it's an important number because it shows if factories are busy, if stores are busy, if construction is happening.

00:15:36.260 It's another way of saying, is your country working?

00:15:38.640 In recent years, in recent decades, really, GDP growth, sometimes just called economic growth, it's been just a couple of percent a year.

00:15:48.800 And conventional wisdom has been, well, you know, we're really as rich as you can get.

00:15:53.120 The only countries that see high growth, you know, five, six, seven percent, occasionally you see countries around the 10 percent mark.

00:16:00.560 Well, those are rapidly modernizing, industrializing countries that are starting so low, like, for example, China, because when you're really poor and you're industrializing as fast as possible, you know, building coal-fired power plants and building highways and building airports and building more modern housing for the first time, those things are happening in a crash kind of way.

00:16:19.720 What we, what we in the West industrialized over decades or even centuries, China and India are trying to do in a fraction of the time. 0.82

00:16:26.280 So you'll see high growth.

00:16:29.000 So as you can see in this article, China posted GDP growth of 6.7 percent.

00:16:34.020 But in a country that already has modern housing and highways and power plants, how could you possibly see growth that fast, right?

00:16:40.380 That's conventional wisdom.

00:16:42.000 America had double-digit growth really briefly shortly after the Second World War.

00:16:47.260 1950 was the fastest growth as the wasteful Second World War economy was replaced with a modern capitalist industrial economy.

00:16:55.860 They built the interstate highways and stuff like that.

00:16:58.320 Here's the GDP growth.

00:16:59.820 Here's a graph of it.

00:17:01.040 Can you see that?

00:17:02.180 I don't know if you can see that.

00:17:03.420 It's a growth over the decades.

00:17:05.100 You can see back in 1950 when it was the absolute highest there.

00:17:09.120 But for the last, you know, I don't know, 10, 15 years, it's really never poked above 5 percent.

00:17:18.820 It's rarely been higher than 3 percent.

00:17:24.080 Now, economists mocked Donald Trump when he said, no, no, he'll beat 3 percent.

00:17:29.880 Here's a Republican ad that they put together of all the smart people saying, no, you can't do that, Donald Trump.

00:17:37.840 It's my opinion that within the next two years, I think we'll get 4 percent growth.

00:17:44.620 You and your magic beanstalk beans are not being realistic.

00:17:48.540 There's just no way to see how you can get that kind of growth unless you really, you know, it just doesn't make sense.

00:17:53.900 He just says, well, I'm going to negotiate a better deal.

00:17:56.640 How exactly are you going to negotiate that?

00:17:58.680 What magic wand do you have?

00:18:00.260 In the event Donald wins, I have no doubt in my mind the market tanks.

00:18:04.780 Trump's policies would throw us into a recession.

00:18:09.100 The last thing we need.

00:18:11.560 Breaking news.

00:18:12.300 OK, on a morning of breaking news, it just continues.

00:18:15.060 The Commerce Department has just released the latest quarterly economic numbers, and they are big.

00:18:21.560 President Trump predicted a terrific GDP report.

00:18:25.200 Now we know it is 4.1 percent.

00:18:27.880 Most liberal economists said it would be impossible for Trump to get to 3 or 4 percent growth, and we're there now.

00:18:33.860 Well, in fairness to the president, he came in and said the reason he needed to be president is to get growth going again.

00:18:38.380 And he predicted he was going to have really substantial growth.

00:18:40.940 People were really skeptical about it.

00:18:42.360 He's delivered, in fairness to him.

00:18:43.580 They said, they said this day would never come.

00:18:47.340 Let the man take a victory lap.

00:18:52.500 He's just created trillions of dollars of wealth.

00:18:56.540 He did it.

00:18:57.720 4.1 percent GDP growth.

00:18:59.480 That's China in numbers.

00:19:01.580 They're getting rich down there in America.

00:19:04.540 Maybe he really is making America great again.

00:19:07.220 And our guy?

00:19:09.620 Well, he's taking another personal day today.

00:19:14.740 More than 20 holidays so far in 2018.

00:19:21.140 We don't have our NAFTA deal.

00:19:24.200 We don't have the European Union deal.

00:19:27.360 We have an immigration border control crisis.

00:19:30.800 We just had a terrorist attack in Toronto.

00:19:32.760 But our man-child prime minister, he's still on holidays.

00:19:38.020 Well, here's the Canadian version of that GDP chart.

00:19:42.860 Can you see it?

00:19:44.480 It hasn't been above 2% growth since the 1980s.

00:19:52.540 Look at this.

00:19:53.440 Just look at this year so far.

00:19:54.880 Show the next graph.

00:19:55.900 Look at that.

00:19:58.100 We had 0.3% GDP growth last quarter.

00:20:03.540 Down from 0.4% growth before that.

00:20:06.260 Could you imagine what will happen to us if Trump actually does proceed with his tariff

00:20:12.720 on our cars?

00:20:16.480 0.3%, 0.4% growth rate.

00:20:19.260 Of course.

00:20:20.820 We've banned fracking.

00:20:22.800 We've banned pipelines.

00:20:24.440 We've banned oil sands expansion.

00:20:26.320 We've attacked mines and quarries and marine terminals.

00:20:30.460 We've taxed everything that moves and most things that don't.

00:20:34.680 Our childish leaders are blathering on about how carbon taxes create jobs.

00:20:39.640 I don't know if America's growth rate will continue at 4.1%.

00:20:42.900 Looks like his deals with places like Europe may actually create a worldwide economic boom.

00:20:48.420 Maybe we'll get some of the benefits of that indirectly, both just by the luck of being

00:20:53.860 right next to the U.S.

00:20:55.380 and being in the middle of a global economic renaissance brought about by Trump bringing

00:21:00.180 down the price of energy through more production and bringing down worldwide tariffs through

00:21:05.640 his tough negotiations.

00:21:07.060 Maybe a rising global tide will lift our little Canadian boat too, but the opposite might happen

00:21:14.000 too. 0.87

00:21:14.380 Maybe our foolish carbon tax and our foolish anti-industrial agenda will continue to dampen 0.94

00:21:19.220 any investment here. 0.77

00:21:21.160 And maybe foreign companies will say, well, you know, we used to look at Canada as a place

00:21:24.700 we could do business and also have access to the U.S. economy, but now that's not so

00:21:30.220 certain with NAFTA being ripped up.

00:21:31.900 Let's move our factory from Canada to the U.S. 0.76

00:21:34.700 We'll have access to the U.S. market for sure that way, and we'll also have lower taxes,

00:21:39.860 and we'll also have a business-friendly president to boot.

00:21:42.240 And Canada, well, we'll always have all those jobs that come from our carbon tax, won't we?

00:21:53.100 Stay with us for more.

00:22:04.700 Welcome back.

00:22:11.560 Well, one of the interesting things about being an online news company is the statistics you

00:22:16.160 get on YouTube.

00:22:17.800 We get down to the minute.

00:22:19.340 How many people are watching what video?

00:22:21.560 And I should tell you that our second most popular video of the hundreds and hundreds

00:22:28.360 of videos that we produced last month was a lengthy and detailed discussion about trade

00:22:36.840 negotiations.

00:22:37.620 You wouldn't think that that would rocket to the number two viral position on YouTube for

00:22:43.660 our channel, but it was actually a riveting conversation with our next guest.

00:22:49.140 His name is Manny Montenegrino, and he returns for our third conversation about trade.

00:22:54.480 Manny, welcome back.

00:22:56.120 Well, thank you for having me, Ezra.

00:22:57.460 I mean, I'm not putting down the conversation about trade.

00:23:00.220 I find it fascinating, but that's sort of a technical, obscure issue.

00:23:04.240 It's not a sexy issue, but that video, you've done two videos with us about the Canada-US

00:23:10.620 NAFTA negotiations.

00:23:12.760 Both of them have had an enormous viewership, especially in the United States.

00:23:18.820 It's quite something, and I think my theory is you're giving an analysis that we don't see

00:23:24.940 elsewhere.

00:23:25.240 So let me stop talking now.

00:23:27.120 Manny, give us an update on Canada-US trade negotiations.

00:23:31.920 Thank you, Ezra, and I will.

00:23:33.700 I have been studying this issue for about two years.

00:23:36.920 Even before Donald Trump became president, I was part of an international legal association

00:23:43.760 that was predominantly with American law firms and American PR firms.

00:23:49.660 And I was saying what Trump is saying today.

00:23:52.500 I was questioning.

00:23:53.600 So I have been on this issue for years, and it's come into fruition with what Trump is

00:24:00.420 doing.

00:24:01.080 And here, let me give you an update.

00:24:02.660 Since my last video, our last video, we now have Mexico with a new president who's working

00:24:10.020 and it appears they're very close to a deal.

00:24:12.280 You might recall that Prime Minister Trudeau said that he was not interested in a bilateral

00:24:17.180 deal.

00:24:17.860 He needs to have Mexico in with him. 0.96

00:24:20.280 And that was, to me, a complete and utter either a staged event, a lie, or he had a different

00:24:29.000 purpose.

00:24:29.420 If you're acting in Canada's interest, you act for Canada. 0.84

00:24:33.120 And that is, do a trade deal as quickly as possible.

00:24:36.300 And here's why.

00:24:37.660 Trade is not a right.

00:24:39.000 I mean, people got to understand that no one has a right to trade with any other country.

00:24:43.460 It's done by way of agreement.

00:24:44.920 We don't have the right to put a McDonald's in North Korea.

00:24:47.980 We don't have a right to.

00:24:49.240 So we need an agreement.

00:24:51.860 And that's what we have.

00:24:53.100 And it's worked very well for Canada.

00:24:55.180 How well?

00:24:55.740 Well, Canada has, in its trade, its GDP is 26 percent.

00:25:02.040 We create 26 percent of our gross national product through trade.

00:25:07.240 And 20 percent of it is with the United States of America.

00:25:10.780 That's a huge deal.

00:25:12.520 Our prosperity is linked to that great GDP number.

00:25:16.080 Whereas in the United States, they only have about 8 percent of their GDPs to trade.

00:25:21.680 That supports what Trump is saying.

00:25:23.380 We export a lot less than we import.

00:25:27.240 And only 2 percent of their GDP is with Canada.

00:25:31.140 So they see it differently than we do.

00:25:33.580 I look at both sides.

00:25:34.940 And when I look at both sides, I see where Trump is coming from.

00:25:38.400 And if you look at, you know, what would you do if you're an investor?

00:25:42.740 You'd say, well, I could set up anywhere in Canada or anywhere in the United States,

00:25:46.780 and I can access both markets.

00:25:48.940 That's what has been the position.

00:25:50.540 So Canada has benefited because we do have some advantages over the United States on setting up businesses.

00:25:57.400 Well, we're losing that.

00:25:58.740 You've seen that we've lost those advantages, certainly in the oil, in the pipelines.

00:26:03.760 And this government is making money flee away from Canada.

00:26:08.820 Now, this trade discussion is in a uncertainty.

00:26:13.300 Every month that goes by, Ezra, billions of dollars leave Canada because it's uncertain.

00:26:18.220 Are we going to do a deal?

00:26:20.000 Why is the prime minister not interested?

00:26:22.040 Why is he always on vacation, not cementing this deal?

00:26:25.660 Why is he not working for the interests of Canada?

00:26:28.220 And this deal could have been done months ago, but it's not.

00:26:32.280 And I know why it's not.

00:26:33.780 My theory, and it's becoming fact, is that there is a reason why the deal is not done.

00:26:39.960 It is to promote this liberal government strategy to create a war with Trump and unify under the flag and have people support Justin Trudeau and Canada.

00:26:54.120 That's what's going on.

00:26:55.660 And it's very clear.

00:26:56.880 And I have, if you go through my Twitter account, I've pinned, and there are now 14 factual examples under that pin.

00:27:06.020 So there's a thread that shows evidentiary fact of why it was done.

00:27:10.800 This trade is done to delay intentionally for political purposes.

00:27:15.780 Well, we'll put underneath this video a link to help people find your Twitter account.

00:27:20.580 And by the way, I know exactly what you mean about the liberals wanting to fight with Trump for their political benefit.

00:27:29.100 Both Gerald Butts, the principal secretary to Justin Trudeau, and more recently, Minister Haidu, I believe she's the labor minister, have made public statements to that effect.

00:27:41.080 We'll put their tweets on the screen right now.

00:27:43.300 Right.

00:27:43.900 Gerald Butts saying, remember this, when we're in an election, whose team, who's for care?

00:27:48.560 I mean, basically demonizing anyone who would affiliate with Trump, and Minister Haidu saying the same thing.

00:27:56.240 I think they actually want a fight so they can run against Donald Trump, who they think domestically is unpopular.

00:28:03.500 They're willing to sack the deal to have Trump as an enemy.

00:28:06.940 I think that's very reckless.

00:28:07.940 I read that tweet from Gerald Butts, and I was so alarmed.

00:28:12.800 And to me, it was a smoking gun of an admission that they want this trade.

00:28:17.480 The day that, and that's also, and you're going to show it, that's wonderful.

00:28:22.300 But the day that he tweeted that was when the NAFTA negotiations were at the worst.

00:28:27.960 And I ask you and I ask every viewer, who spikes the ball, as Gerald Butts did, when the NAFTA negotiations were at its absolute worst?

00:28:39.980 He basically said, look at us.

00:28:42.500 We wouldn't fold like a cheap camp like the Conservatives.

00:28:46.120 And then he says, remember this in 2019.

00:28:50.420 I mean, if I had Butts on the stand, that would be a clear admission that the purpose of delaying NAFTA and trade and putting Canada in possible recession is for political advantage.

00:29:03.120 Now, I'm not the prime minister, and the prime minister, sorry, Prime Minister Harper, who may have said it sotto voce or may have said it subtly.

00:29:11.980 I would say clearly, it is my clear opinion that it's done intentionally.

00:29:17.800 Right.

00:29:18.200 Yeah, that's what Stephen Harper said, and I think he's right.

00:29:20.880 Now, let me talk about an interesting development.

00:29:23.480 You mentioned, and we all know that Justin Trudeau was insistent that NAFTA be a three-way deal.

00:29:28.180 And he was sort of trying to triangulate against Trump by allying with his buddy, the former president of Mexico.

00:29:35.800 But as you mentioned, Mexico is a new leader.

00:29:38.000 And that new leader is quite hard left wing.

00:29:41.160 Yes.

00:29:41.700 According to media reports, he's not quite Hugo Chavez left wing, but he's very rambunctious left wing.

00:29:47.280 And Trump, for decades, has been railing against Mexico and trade.

00:29:52.640 So you would think that between a hard left wing Mexican president and Trump and his history of poking back at Mexico, that those two guys would be a disaster together.

00:30:02.980 But if press reports are to be believed, and actually, I think Trump tweeted this himself, he's actually closer to a deal with this new Mexican president than he is with Canada.

00:30:12.660 And he's never had a quarrel with Canada before.

00:30:14.480 But Canada wants a quarrel with him.

00:30:17.640 Wouldn't it be shocking, wouldn't it be terrifying, Manny, if NAFTA evaporated, but Trump actually did an art of the deal move with this Mexican leftist?

00:30:28.620 Trump does deals with anyone and everyone.

00:30:30.420 He's trying to do a deal with Kim Jong-un in Korea.

00:30:32.620 He's trying to do deals with countries around the world.

00:30:35.740 Wouldn't it be something if he got a deal with Mexico on his own, and Trudeau and Canada were left hanging outside the tent?

00:30:42.400 We got a window into that, Ezra.

00:30:44.880 We got it.

00:30:45.320 There was a brief report.

00:30:46.640 And again, I tweeted it in part of my 14 tweet thread.

00:30:52.000 But I think Leitzkner, the trade negotiator for USA, he actually said he was dumbfounded.

00:31:00.740 He was shocked because he thought he would have Canada at his side to demand that Mexico, in the three-way trade deal, have a minimum wage.

00:31:11.500 Because they wanted to raise the minimum wage in Mexico in order to make a trade deal more equitable.

00:31:18.840 Canada was not at his side.

00:31:21.020 He couldn't understand.

00:31:22.140 He couldn't understand why is Canada not asking that Mexico have a minimum wage, yet they're demanding the United States to have unionized workers.

00:31:32.820 It didn't make sense to him.

00:31:34.340 It makes sense to me.

00:31:35.960 And that is to delay trade, to put monkey wrenches in every part of the negotiations in order to get the Trump hate votes in Canada.

00:31:44.680 I mean, like, how can Canada not stand for a higher minimum wage in Mexico?

00:31:50.300 That's who we are.

00:31:51.480 America is advancing that, and Trudeau is not.

00:31:54.740 And there's a simple answer to that.

00:31:56.500 And that is more evidence, in my view, as to what this government's intent is with respect to trade deal.

00:32:02.680 And it's a very frightening proposition.

00:32:05.460 And as I said before, we have a lot more to lose than America.

00:32:10.320 And Trudeau, and I would think the Prime Minister Trudeau and others are taking advantage of that for political reasons.

00:32:19.720 We're talking with Manny Montenegrino.

00:32:21.780 He's the president and CEO of ThinkSharp and a longtime lawyer.

00:32:25.740 As you can tell, he's got the cross-examination skills.

00:32:28.460 Manny, I want to ask you one last question.

00:32:30.320 I see a flicker of hope.

00:32:31.240 I saw a report that Canada is trying to get back into the negotiations, so they say, because they're concerned about Trump's public threat of tariffs on our auto sector.

00:32:43.580 20% tariff.

00:32:44.840 Apparently, we sell, I think, a million cars more into the states than they sell to us.

00:32:48.500 You slap a 20% tariff on a Canadian car, no American's going to buy it.

00:32:53.480 That's just going to kill the auto industry right there. 0.99

00:32:55.680 Do you think that the liberal members of parliament that represent those ridings in Ontario, and I think there's a couple in Quebec, that rely on the auto industry,

00:33:07.180 do you think those panicking local MPs who've got to be hearing from their auto worker constituencies, do you think that's enough to push Gerald Butts away from the cliff to make Thelma and Louise Carr veer off course? 0.84

00:33:23.260 Or are they going to take us right off the cliff? 0.93

00:33:25.460 Auto workers be damned. 0.97

00:33:27.280 Sure, absolutely. 1.00

00:33:28.520 Auto workers be damned. 0.94

00:33:29.680 And everything I've examined of this government, and as far as I can list it, it all has to do with optics. 0.96

00:33:37.760 There is nothing of substance.

00:33:39.980 Our government is walking into the NAFTA negotiations protecting seven industries.

00:33:45.200 We talked about the Milk Marketing Board and the agriculture industry.

00:33:48.500 And let's put that aside.

00:33:49.800 There are two other industries that I want to identify.

00:33:53.260 Telecom.

00:33:54.020 Now, the telecom industry, that's your cell phone.

00:33:56.920 Canada's cell phone bills are twice what they are in America.

00:34:00.120 And we're protecting that industry.

00:34:02.320 Why?

00:34:03.100 And if you circle around, part of the telecom industry are the people that feed you the news.

00:34:08.980 It's in their financial interest to make Trump look bad.

00:34:12.260 It's in your financial interest.

00:34:13.940 It's in their financial interest, never to mention that telecom is protected.

00:34:17.900 Why is it protected?

00:34:19.320 And so Trump sees seven industries.

00:34:21.780 Trump sees Canadian banks in America.

00:34:26.700 Royal Bank.

00:34:27.240 I mean, the Royal Bank of Canada is sponsoring many golf tournaments.

00:34:31.480 The Royal Bank of Canada is in America.

00:34:34.900 All our banks are in America.

00:34:36.880 There are no banks in American banks in Canada.

00:34:39.660 Trump sees this.

00:34:40.720 Good point.

00:34:41.240 I mean, I travel to Florida, and I'm actually very proud to see our Canadian banks doing business there.

00:34:46.560 TD, Scotiabank.

00:34:48.820 They're out there grabbing the consumers and grabbing the market share.

00:34:53.560 American banks aren't allowed to do that.

00:34:55.680 Trump sees that and says, wait a minute.

00:34:57.440 Why are telecoms?

00:34:58.540 Why are your agriculture industries, your banks, why are they allowed to be protected?

00:35:04.900 And he truly wants a free deal, but we're not telling the story.

00:35:08.540 And that's the frustrating part.

00:35:10.320 Wow.

00:35:10.620 You know what?

00:35:11.440 You're so right about that.

00:35:12.900 We don't think about that in Canada.

00:35:15.380 We don't have access to American banks.

00:35:17.720 And it would be good to have the competition.

00:35:19.640 I mean, I'm sure there's some patriotic loyalty Canadians have.

00:35:23.480 But if we can get our, you know, better deal, cheaper mortgages, whatever, better service, why not?

00:35:28.500 It's very, you know, Manny, you're always ahead of the curve here.

00:35:32.020 It's great to have an update with you.

00:35:34.400 I just hope, I mean, you're rarely wrong, Manny, but I hope you're wrong on Gerald.

00:35:40.140 I hope that Canadian interests will prevail because anyone who wants a trade war with America, I'm sorry they're reckless.

00:35:48.180 And I think that's Gerald Butts.

00:35:49.760 And I think he's running the show.

00:35:51.400 I don't even think Trudeau's running the show. 0.99

00:35:52.680 I think it's butts. 0.97

00:35:53.600 Last one for you, Manny. 0.89

00:35:54.920 Yeah, well, I agree.

00:35:56.980 I am fearful that they will not.

00:35:59.060 And why I say that, when this trade war was, when we retaliated, when Canada retaliated, we retaliated with tariffs on Canada Day.

00:36:10.060 I mean, that was such a, again, if I was cross-examining these people, again, why would you put tariffs two months late on Canada Day?

00:36:20.040 Because it's for patriotic reasons.

00:36:21.920 And then what happened?

00:36:23.980 There's a couple of polls that came out that Trudeau got a bump.

00:36:27.020 He's got a bump in polls because of our patriotism for Canada and these, we call the Canadian Canada Day tariffs.

00:36:34.640 It's working for them.

00:36:36.420 And because it's working for them, they will not do what's in the best interest of Canada.

00:36:40.700 So, Ezra, sadly, although I wish and pray and hope that they would wake up and smell the coffee and save Canada, they've now got enough enabling messages to continue to go on this path of economic destruction.

00:36:59.180 Amazing.

00:37:00.040 Well, Manny, it's a pleasure to talk with you.

00:37:01.840 Underneath this video, we're going to have links not only to your Twitter account where people can follow your arguments about trade, but also to your two previous videos, which have been so well received.

00:37:11.660 And I think it's because you provide arguments and even mentioning telecom and banking today.

00:37:18.100 That's a very thoughtful thing to say.

00:37:19.820 I hope the government sees the light.

00:37:21.620 And I know that they're watching your videos because so many opinion leaders are.

00:37:26.000 Manny Montegrino, President CEO of Think Sharp.

00:37:28.180 Great to see you.

00:37:28.900 Keep in touch, my friend.

00:37:30.560 Take care, Ezra.

00:37:31.300 Thank you.

00:37:31.660 Well, good news seems to be spreading like dominoes pushing over the next one.

00:37:51.200 I'm talking about the grassroots revolt against the carbon tax.

00:37:56.340 Well, first, it was just Saskatchewan by itself, Brad Wall, and then his successor, Scott Moe.

00:38:01.160 And Jason Kenney promised that it would be the first thing he cuts if he becomes premier next year in Alberta, which is pretty much a sure thing.

00:38:09.640 But the real breakthrough was the premier of the largest province of Canada, Ontario, Doug Ford, who made opposition to the carbon tax a centerpiece of his campaign and was rewarded with a strong majority.

00:38:22.040 Well, now the rebellion has spread even to liberal jurisdictions, including perhaps the most liberal province of them all, Prince Edward Island, a little province of just 150,000 people, so small that it's, you know, it's like a liberal fiefdom.

00:38:38.040 But now that liberal government is saying we don't want a carbon tax.

00:38:43.980 We don't need a carbon tax.

00:38:45.440 They've actually reduced their carbon dioxide emissions, if that's something you care about, without one.

00:38:51.700 And now the governing liberals and the opposition conservatives have made that a key promise.

00:38:57.680 Joining us now via Skype is the new Atlantic director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

00:39:03.180 Our friend, Paige McPherson.

00:39:05.020 Paige, it's great to see you again.

00:39:06.880 Thanks for having me on.

00:39:07.920 Well, you're back in your home region of the Atlantic, and it's a delight to see the rebellion against the carbon tax take root out there.

00:39:16.560 I have to tell you, I'm a little bit surprised, Paige, because to go against their federal liberal cousins, that takes a little bit of political courage.

00:39:23.740 It does.

00:39:53.740 I have to tell you, I don't know what the carbon tax is going to do.

00:39:55.440 So it really begs the question, I think, for anybody with common sense, regardless of which party they vote for, why have a carbon tax?

00:40:05.200 If it's not about reducing emissions, which we're already doing, if it's not about reducing gas consumptions that we're already doing, then what is it really about?

00:40:13.160 And I think the obvious answer is that it's just about yet another tax.

00:40:16.840 You know, I think you're right.

00:40:18.540 You raise the good point that it's tough.

00:40:21.360 I mean, I guess the politicians, the government of Prince Edward Islanders is between a rock and a hard place because Justin Trudeau, Gerald Butts, Catherine McKenna, they are adamant about the carbon tax.

00:40:31.580 It really is the most important thing to them, other than perhaps marijuana legalization and feminism.

00:40:38.180 It really is the thing they harp on the most.

00:40:40.740 So the carbon tax is dear to them.

00:40:42.840 But on the other hand, try telling that to someone who has to, what is it?

00:40:47.460 It's going to add another 11 cents a liter at the pump or something.

00:40:51.320 So it's tough.

00:40:52.140 I guess, Paige, my point is because province after province is standing up, maybe there's a courage now.

00:41:00.420 When it seemed inevitable, when every single province other than Saskatchewan seemed to be going along, when even so-called conservatives like Patrick Brown were for it, it looked tough to speak out.

00:41:11.880 But now I think politicians are finding their courage in numbers.

00:41:15.640 That's just my pundits' assessment.

00:41:17.860 Whatever the reason is, I'm thrilled.

00:41:19.640 Yeah, I think that's a good point.

00:41:22.480 It might have been the case that perhaps some politicians were waiting out at the federal government to see if they were really serious about this.

00:41:28.240 But either way, I mean, it's one of these things where initially carbon tax advocates were saying there's absolutely no way that you can get elected in most of the country without being in favor of a carbon tax.

00:41:40.120 This is happening and there's nothing that you can do about it.

00:41:42.680 And ordinary common sense people started standing up and saying, well, wait a second.

00:41:48.160 It doesn't even matter in even the provinces that do emit the most carbon dioxide.

00:41:54.340 If we have a carbon tax, you know, you could wipe Canada off the face of the earth.

00:41:58.240 We're still not going to have a large impact on global warming, which we know is a global problem if you're concerned about that as an issue.

00:42:07.180 So even if Canada implements these policies across the board, it's not going to have an impact.

00:42:11.440 But especially for provinces that are the size of Prince Edward Island, a carbon tax on Prince Edward Islanders is definitely not going to have an impact on global climate change.

00:42:21.620 And so I think that they're standing up and saying that.

00:42:24.320 But on top of that, they're already reducing their emissions.

00:42:27.020 It's not necessary for them to have that carbon tax to even have that in place.

00:42:31.500 So I think that it's a really excellent thing that you're seeing provinces out in Atlanta, Canada stand up against this in Ontario.

00:42:39.220 I mean, for a long time, people were saying this wasn't this was a no go in eastern Canada.

00:42:43.620 They're going to accept the carbon tax.

00:42:45.060 They're just going to take it.

00:42:46.140 And now you're seeing a little bit of an uprising.

00:42:48.500 I mean, Nova Scotia has pushed back.

00:42:50.080 Prince Edward Island is pushing back.

00:42:51.660 And I think it's it's good to know for every province fighting this tax that they're certainly not alone in this fight.

00:42:57.940 Yeah. Now, I want to ask you what you think the reason is that any given Canadian is against this tax, because there's there's so many links in the chain, the chain, the logical syllogism that you have to support to believe in a carbon tax.

00:43:14.180 You've got to think that global warming is a problem, that it's created in a meaningful way by manmade activities, that this tax will somehow change the emissions of manmade carbon dioxide and that the tax is the best.

00:43:33.100 Like there's there's a lot of links in that chain and any one of them can be broken for someone to oppose it.

00:43:38.780 Someone might say, I believe in the theory of manmade global warming, but I think this is just a tax.

00:43:44.440 Or someone might say, I believe in the theory of manmade global warming, but I know that Prince Edward Island is such a drop in the bucket compared to China. 0.79

00:43:52.080 Or someone might say, I don't even care or no, I'm just sick of taxes.

00:43:56.140 Like there's about 10 reasons to be against a carbon tax.

00:43:58.860 But to before you've got to be for every link in the chain, you get you get my meaning there, Paige.

00:44:03.320 What do you think?

00:44:04.400 What do you think that the broken link of the chain is for any given Prince Edward Islander?

00:44:10.300 Well, I think that people know, especially in a place like Prince Edward Island, that, you know, driving your car to work or heating your home in the winter is not a luxury.

00:44:19.480 It's a necessity, especially in a rural area of Canada.

00:44:22.660 We don't have fancy transit systems that are going to pick up the slack.

00:44:27.240 You're not going to be riding your bike, you know, in the dead of winter across PEI to get to where you need to go.

00:44:32.540 So these are these are the tax on the necessities of life.

00:44:35.700 So I think that there's there's that side of it.

00:44:38.080 People know that we live in a country that experiences winter and it's just not fair when people are already scraping by to ask them to pay more, cough up more for the necessities of life.

00:44:49.940 But I think that they also know that a carbon tax is is really mostly about the tax.

00:44:55.580 It's not going to have an impact on global climate change, even if you accept everything about global climate change and you say, OK, you know, yes, this needs to change.

00:45:04.440 And the countries that are the big emitters need to do their part.

00:45:07.100 You probably know that Canada is not one of those countries.

00:45:09.800 People know that Canadians are we're not the biggest contributors to global warming.

00:45:14.640 If if that's your you know, your logical acceptance that this is an issue.

00:45:18.500 So I think that, you know, when you put those pieces together, people say, look, we don't really trust the government when they say that, OK, this is actually going to save the world.

00:45:29.020 We we are more skeptical that perhaps like other temporary taxes that have come up to solve problems.

00:45:34.940 This is really just a tax. The government's looking for more revenue and it's going to make our life more expensive.

00:45:39.780 I mean, the PEI and PEI provincial gas taxes alone are 24 cents a liter.

00:45:44.900 When you combine that with federal gas taxes, it comes to twenty five dollars every time you fill up a midsize family car.

00:45:52.540 That's before the carbon tax even comes into effect if it's going to.

00:45:56.580 So that's already a lot of dough that they're they're having to cough up on a necessity of life.

00:46:00.780 Like I said, there's not fancy transit systems in place.

00:46:02.980 So when when you talk about a carbon tax, I think they they're skeptical that it's going to work.

00:46:08.800 But also they say, look, I'm already taxed enough.

00:46:11.660 Yeah. Well, you know, it's become such a symbol for this government.

00:46:14.900 I mean, I when I say marijuana, global warming and feminism, I'm not joking.

00:46:20.600 I'm not trying to paint a caricature.

00:46:22.220 I'm just trying to think of what are the issues that they seem so adamant about?

00:46:25.880 I can't think of other policies that they're so branded with the core value.

00:46:31.620 I mean, if there's one I'm missing, just chime in.

00:46:34.060 But so I'm not making fun when I say feminism.

00:46:36.720 And I think that's why the groping allegations have hurt him so much, because that blunts one of his key issues.

00:46:42.120 Marijuana has put that aside and the carbon tax.

00:46:45.000 I think those are the three legs of the stool policy wise for Justin Trudeau, which makes me think, Paige, he's not going to want to give that one up easily.

00:46:52.900 Do you think and I know I'm asking you to look into your pundits crystal ball and that's not really your job.

00:46:58.140 You guys are nonpartisan taxpayers advocates.

00:47:01.320 But are you do you think he's going to blink?

00:47:04.940 Do you think more provinces are going to come out against it?

00:47:08.200 How is this one going to end?

00:47:10.600 Well, I hope that more provinces come out against it.

00:47:12.720 There are other provinces like Nova Scotia, where I am right now, that have said, look, we're already meeting our emissions reductions targets without a carbon tax.

00:47:21.240 We're already accomplishing the policy goals that, Prime Minister, you're saying we need to accomplish without, you know, implementing this policy that you say that we need to implement, which is just another tax on people who feel that they're taxed enough.

00:47:33.000 So I do think that we're going to see more provinces start standing up.

00:47:36.680 I think that as you mentioned, this sort of the domino effect, I think that it's falling out of favor with with most Canadians and most Canadian governments who are going to have to stand next to other provinces that are standing up to the carbon tax and not imposing a carbon tax on their citizens and and have voters in their province say, well, why aren't you doing that as well?

00:47:56.900 I think we're going to see that. And I think that if it happens to go to court like the Saskatchewan government, you know, as you've covered, has said that they're they would take the federal government to court if it came down to it.

00:48:08.620 Ontario, I think, has insinuated that they would join that if it came down to that and it needed to.

00:48:14.360 So in Manitoba, which is actually a pro-carbon tax province, they are in terms of their government, government different than the voters, of course.

00:48:23.340 But they've said that if you push the carbon tax too high, prime minister, then, you know, we will take you to court as well.

00:48:29.340 And legal analysis out of Manitoba has said that if a province can demonstrate that they are reducing emissions or achieving that policy goal without the carbon tax, that they would have a very valid case in court.

00:48:39.880 So I think the federal government's got to be looking at that, looking at now the numbers and numbers are growing in terms of the people standing up against the carbon tax.

00:48:47.900 And I think they've got to be feeling a little bit worried. Remember, you know, the government works for us.

00:48:53.260 We don't work for them. So they need to be responsive to what I think what people are saying.

00:48:57.440 Yeah. Well, I don't like the idea of putting tax policy in the hands of a few unelected judges.

00:49:03.640 That does not make me optimistic at all. But I think that the people will speak.

00:49:06.600 You know, I'm old enough, Paige, you're just a young pup, but I'm old enough to remember the 1993 federal election where the GST was a big issue, was brought in a couple of years early, extremely unpopular.

00:49:18.060 And even though he didn't keep the promise, Jean Chrétien said he would kill scrap and abolish the GST.

00:49:22.860 It was a big moment for your organization, the Taxpayers Federation.

00:49:25.680 I think that if Trudeau barrels ahead out of ideological stubbornness, he could face an electorate that is saying over our dead bodies and that, you know, it certainly penalized the, I guess that was Kim Campbell in 1993 who was running on behalf of Mulroney's Tax.

00:49:46.060 Very interesting times. I'm so glad that you're fighting hard and you're back in Atlantic Canada where you're from originally.

00:49:52.120 The taxpayers need all the help they can get out there, Paige, and I'm glad you're doing it.

00:49:56.080 Thanks so much for having me, Ezra.

00:49:57.420 All right. There you go.

00:49:58.320 Our friend Paige McPherson, we love the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

00:50:01.740 They're one of the few truly nonpartisan independent groups fighting for taxpayers because like us here at The Rebel, they don't take a dime from the government.

00:50:12.100 And it shows, I think it shows that their loyalty remains with citizens.

00:50:17.100 And Paige, of course, is just a wonderful person, as you know.

00:50:20.000 All right. That's it for that segment. Stay with us. More ahead on The Rebel.

00:50:31.740 Welcome back. On my monologue yesterday about Trump and the European Union getting a trade deal done while Trudeau is using the issue as a re-election tactic,

00:50:43.440 John writes, we could have a great deal with Trump and the U.S., but Justin is willing to sink our economy just to spite him and get the I hate Trump vote.

00:50:53.180 Unfortunately, it's Justin first and not Canada first.

00:50:57.020 You're so right now. I don't know if you saw yesterday's show. I think you did, sir. What am I saying? You're responding to it.

00:51:00.920 That Jean-Claude Juncker, he is the most European of the Europeans.

00:51:06.780 He's a bureaucrat. He's a meddler. He's a globalist.

00:51:11.740 But he was afraid of Trump more than he hated Trump.

00:51:18.220 Do you understand what I'm saying?

00:51:20.200 Of course he hates Trump. Of course that kiss was the kiss of relief, not of affection.

00:51:25.200 Because Trump was threatening to wreck the European economy if they didn't pull down the territory.

00:51:30.000 That's what's amazing about Trump. He knows free trade is right.

00:51:34.560 He doesn't love tariffs. He realizes that tariffs are a weapon.

00:51:38.560 If you listen to Trump carefully, and very few journalists do, he's saying, I don't want a trade war.

00:51:44.260 He's saying, we've been in a trade war for decades. Now let's fight back.

00:51:47.940 We've already lost the trade war. Maybe we should fight it.

00:51:50.500 And the first time he tries to fight it, with the European Union, with Mexico, with China, it goes well for America. 0.99

00:51:59.060 In the case of the European Union, they agree to lower tariffs.

00:52:02.180 In the case of NATO countries, they agree to spend more.

00:52:05.060 I wish we could have a leader who would understand Trump and make that work to Canada's advantage.

00:52:12.660 We have so much stuff we could sell them.

00:52:14.760 We're going to be wound up, shut out of that country.

00:52:18.520 Keith writes,

00:52:19.080 Okay, I didn't know that, and I'm not sure exactly of the connection.

00:52:38.560 But I know that if I was General Motors, or Ford, or Chrysler, or any of these companies,

00:52:46.360 and if I had to choose which side of the border I was on, I would not want to choose.

00:52:51.680 I would want a borderless world like they have right now under the Auto Pact and NAFTA.

00:52:56.180 But if I was forced to choose because NAFTA was ending, and Trump was putting on tariffs, I would choose America.

00:53:02.060 And how many votes does Ontario have in the U.S. presidential elections of 2020?

00:53:09.080 It has none.

00:53:10.400 So if Ontario liberals and Quebec liberals and Canadian liberals raise their fists and shake them at Trump,

00:53:17.840 oh, you, but all those factories move back to Detroit and Ohio and Illinois and Michigan and Wisconsin,

00:53:26.260 has that not a win for Donald Trump?

00:53:27.980 On my interview with Andrew Mann, who went up to Camp Cloud, it's on Burnaby Mountain,

00:53:35.620 Paul writes,

00:53:37.780 I wonder if Prime Minister Groper will speak about the attack on that woman.

00:53:41.200 I'm guessing no.

00:53:43.220 Oh, listen, Justin Trudeau has not spoken about the terrorist murder of two women,

00:53:48.880 a girl and a woman in Toronto.

00:53:50.800 He had some staffer in Ottawa send out a tweet.

00:53:53.080 If Justin Trudeau will not talk about a murder, he's not going to talk about a common assault.

00:54:00.760 I think Justin Trudeau has revealed himself to more and more Canadians as being nothing but a shallow,

00:54:09.020 selfie-loving Kardashian, except the thing is Kim Kardashian never sold herself as more.

00:54:14.940 Ironically, she's achieved more, lobbying Donald Trump to pardon a woman and successfully. 0.99

00:54:22.960 Kim Kardashian never said she was more than she is.

00:54:26.420 Justin Trudeau is proving that he's not more than he appears to be.

00:54:30.560 Well, folks, that's the end of the show today, and that's the end of this week.

00:54:34.880 I want to tell you that earlier this morning I received a message from Tommy Robinson's family,

00:54:41.980 and I spoke with Tommy Robinson's lawyer.

00:54:44.460 And the verdict in his appeal will be revealed in London on Tuesday or Wednesday.

00:54:51.900 And I know that's very strange, and I pressed to clarify it, but the lawyer could not.

00:54:56.100 He said the judges indicate it will be Tuesday or Wednesday, and those are the two days.

00:55:01.220 So I have to go to London, assuming it's going to be on the first day, the Tuesday.

00:55:08.260 And because of when the planes land at Heathrow and it takes about an hour and a half to get

00:55:14.040 through customs and into the city, that means I have to go in the day before.

00:55:17.820 I have to go to London to land there on Monday.

00:55:20.520 So I regret I will be away on Monday, but we will have a guest host, probably my friend

00:55:25.560 David Menzies, I'm not sure yet.

00:55:27.440 But I will be in London on Tuesday, and if the appeal is on Wednesday, I'll be there

00:55:34.580 Wednesday.

00:55:35.520 And I am hopeful that Tommy will be released on whichever of those days it is, and then

00:55:40.900 I'll be back in Canada after that.

00:55:43.240 But I will be in the UK, and as I was a couple of weeks ago for the appeal itself, my goal

00:55:49.060 is to produce as much content from there as I can.

00:55:51.920 And I know it's just on one narrow subject, Tommy Robinson, but please understand, at

00:55:56.120 least in my mind, Tommy Robinson is not about the man, he's about freedom of speech, the

00:56:00.480 rule of law, the Islamification of the West, open borders, globalism, the 5P professionals, 0.93

00:56:07.140 police politicians, the press, professors and prosecutors betraying the public interest

00:56:11.820 out of fear of being called racist.

00:56:13.340 It's about all these issues, which we're seeing in Canada today.

00:56:16.020 If you look at how the 5P professionals are trying to engineer the narrative about the

00:56:22.240 Toronto terrorist attack last week, you can see that what's happening in the UK is coming

00:56:27.660 to Canada.

00:56:29.100 And the way Tommy was arrested in Leeds two months ago, maybe that's coming to Canada

00:56:35.100 too.

00:56:35.800 So I believe it's important to study what's going wrong in the UK, to help the one guy

00:56:40.700 who's fighting back in the UK and to bring news to Canada, so of warning, news of warning,

00:56:46.120 so perhaps we can correct our own course.

00:56:47.740 So that's what I'll be doing when I'm not here, but I think hopefully you'll be able

00:56:52.480 to see me on YouTube and perhaps on the shows where I'm away, we can have little clips of

00:56:58.520 what I'm doing in London inserted in the show.

00:57:01.300 So that's it for me on behalf of all of us here at Rebel World Headquarters to you at home.

00:57:05.780 Good night and keep fighting for freedom.

00:57:10.700 Good night and keep fighting for freedom.

00:57:17.240 Good night and keep fighting for freedom.

00:57:19.560 Thank you.

Rebel News Podcast - July 28, 2018

How the US reached 4.1% GDP growth — when economists said it was impossible

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