01.26.2017 02:55 PM

The Nazis did this too. Canada reacted in the same way. 

Here:

Donald Trump has ordered his new administration to publish a weekly list of crimes committed by immigrants.

The US President’s sweeping new executive order on immigration, which he signed on the fifth day of his presidency, includes a paragraph mandating the Secretary for Homeland Security to “make public a comprehensive list of criminal actions committed by aliens” in the US.

The list will also include details of so-called “sanctuary cities” that refuse to hand over immigrant residents for deportation.

Still think he didn’t mean it? Still think he would change after being sworn in? Still think someone around him would talk him out of being a, you know, fascist?

Again, where is my government? Will anyone in it finally object to this actual fascism, as Mexico has now done?

Why is Canada silent?

31 Comments

  1. Sean McLaughlin says:

    If you’re desperately searching for a silver lining, it might be that undecided European voters recoil from the Marine Le Pen/Geert Wilders/AfD types at the ballot box this year after they’ve seen a few months of Trump rule.

    Adding a special layer of hypocrisy on immigration, are we done talking about how Melania Trump worked illegally when she first came to the US?

    https://apnews.com/37dc7aef0ce44077930b7436be7bfd0d

    I’d like to believe that the Trump regime is going to implode eventually without any outside help. This just isn’t sustainable.

    • Miles Lunn says:

      I sure hope so. At least with Marine Le Pen they have a run off so while I worry she will come in first on the first round, I think she will lose on the second round. Still the fact she could get over 40% is downright scary and depressing. As for Geert Wilders, he benefits due to the fact the Netherlands has so many parties representing every position imaginable on the spectrum so you only need 20-25% of the popular vote (which is where is he is polling) to come in first. Hopefully though the other parties will make clear they will not form a coalition with him thus meaning even if he comes in first he won’t be able to put together a government. As for the AfD, less worried there as they are around 15% in the polls and while that is scary, seeing the number of alt right types and Trump supporters in Canada, I would guess that support for such policies is probably similar to that in Canada. At least every poll shows the current grand coalition at over 50% so Merkel should win even if with a smaller share of the popular vote. My bigger worry is the mainstream parties will start pandering more to the hard right to push their numbers down when they should be taking them on.

  2. bluegreenblogger says:

    We are going to miss the boat. The executive order, and rejection by Mexico could not be a surprise to our Foreign Ministry. If they were going to support Mexico down to the wire, they would have responded with some kind of support by now, no? You would know better than I. It would be very very shortsighted to slight our real allies out of fear, or greed.

  3. Christian says:

    Why? Because we (our government) is hoping that Canada will be able to fly under the radar and that by playing ‘nice’ we won’t get burned. I think its bullshit. Trump is proposing (meaning it will happen) a 20 % import tax on everything that comes from Mexico to pay for his wall. That in effect is the end of NAFTA. And our government thinks it will get a ‘better deal’? Not with this guy. It’ll be a his way or highway approach. Unfortunately I’m a bit uneasy that our government by its current silence and its recent decision to re-review the Harper government’s decision to block a tech company’s sale to the Chinese (one of the few Harper acts I actually agreed with) will fall over backwards to give this lunatic everything he wants. Our government is going to have to grow a backbone and it better do it quick.

  4. Sean says:

    I think there is going to be a lot of hard nosed insubordination and the Trump admin is eventually going to be isolated at the top. I already saw one CIA guy a few weeks ago explain that officials are prepared to flat out disobey certain orders coming from Trump. Is Trump a fascist? Absolutely. But he needs true believing bureaucrats to make these things come about and I think a lot of people will just shrug and ignore him for 3-4 years and try to play this out.

    Oh… and Justin? Don’t expect much from this government. The current Government was certainly not elected because people thought they would take *stands* on *issues*.

  5. Lee Hill says:

    The slowness of progressive governments around the world to respond to Trump during the campaign and now during the “shock and awe” phase of his first week is depressing, but I am encouraged by the rapidity of how grassroots organisations as well as established NGOs, charities and activist groups are mobilising. I agree we can no longer rely on hope and must act, in whatever way we can…marching, singing petitions, civil disobedience, etc. As citizens, we can no longer express ourselves politically at the ballot box or when we volunteer in our communities. We must also defend the values that keep our communities open, diverse and free.

  6. daveconstable says:

    Leader of the 3rd party in our HoC reiterated his stance today. I guess it didn’t get in all the media.

  7. the salamander horde says:

    .. what did we expect from this doddering fraud & serial bankrupt? His jackal pack led by Steve Bannon are whipping up the Executive Orders to sign.. and Trump has lived a career of getting other people to pay for his mistakes, whims & indulgences.. going way way back to draft deferments and tuition. He has genius glib silicone Spicer & KellyAnne to muddy the water, spray nonsense & twist the tale to inside out – buffalo the media.. So why not BBQ the ‘aliens’ & serve it up as an alien in every pot..? So far, so good.. and the Publicans are sharpening their knives for the feast. If Mainstream Media can’t storm Washington’s cannibal orgy and blow this unholy bunch out.. well I see them as volunteers. Not victims .. like the rest of us.. in the Americas.. yes that’s North & South America

    BTW .. thought your personal anecdote was a total gem.. about your gracious landlord & her gun.. priceless ..

  8. Nick says:

    Longtime listener, first time caller etc. I entirely agree with you Warren.

    If Justin Trudeau thinks the right strategy for our country is to sit quiet and hope the wolf doesn’t blow our door down, he should read up on 20th century history. An authoritarian regime that is indifferent to basic facts and decency and armed to the teeth with economic and military clout, will always be looking for enemies real or imagined. Trump and the Republicans are heading the whole world down a very dark road.

    Here are my two main arguments why Canada should loudly and publicly align ourselves with the Mexicans, Democrat and independent voters, and sanctuary cities, and anyone else who opposes Trump’s rule:
    1) Morally: If Canada truly is a kinder, gentler place, that is tolerant and respectful of other viewpoints, then we need to lead by example and nurture and support the millions of people who want to resist the coming storm.
    2) Cynically: if we don’t hang together, we’ll all hang separately.

    What should our country do? Trudeau is currently doing town halls to speak with Canadians. Why doesn’t he use those to speak to us as adults, explain that social, political, and economic conflict on our borders with America is going to lead to some dark times, but that we have a moral authority to support our fellow citizens, friends and family in America and Mexico? Better yet – have a national address, explaining what is happening and why we need to come together to resist it. He may be very surprised by how much support he will get.

    We Canadians take awhile to get pissed off, but we don’t like bullies and we fight like hell once we get going.

    • Miles Lunn says:

      We can also to show its not partisan still work with Republicans in congress who aren’t crazy. There are a few Republicans who disagree with Trump like McCain and Lindsay Graham still there are many who even if they privately don’t like him, are supporting him out of opportunism. I hope he gets impeached ASAP as he is truly dangerous. Mike Pence would be terrible for women and LGBT, but at least he wouldn’t be a threat to world peace like Trump and considering most Americans support women’s and LGBT rights, I suspect he would get booted out of office if he went too far on this one.

  9. rww says:

    America is our best friend and, like Israel is their best friend, it can do no wrong no matter how fascist a leader they elect.

  10. Kelly says:

    Shallow business interests.

  11. John B says:

    My guess is that because the unpresident has not targeted Canada yet the Canadian government (yes – Justin) is keeping it’s head down and it’s powder dry.

  12. Robert Frindt says:

    Canada is supposed to pick a huge political fight with the USA because the Trump Administration is actually going to enforce US immigration law ?

  13. Sean McLaughlin says:

    None of what Trump is trying to do is going to work. The dumb people here who voted for Trump, aided and abetted by wishful thinking Republicans who hoped a 70-year-old misanthrope would suddenly learn how to become a human being, had no idea how his slogans would become reality. They might not care if Russia takes Crimea or if the European Union crumbles, but they will care when we enter a constitutional crisis over states rights. The top 9 richest states/districts (and 16 of the top 20) voted for Clinton in the last election. California, for example, is the 5th largest economy in the world, its almost 38% Latino, Clinton beat Trump by over 30 points there, and it contributes over 20% more to the federal budget more than it receives. So LA, San Diego, and San Francisco are just going to buckle over sanctuary because Trump has threatened to withdraw federal funding? All of the resources are on the side of resistance.

    Trump will press on and cleave this country in two, or he’ll be restrained by the bureaucracy and the pragmatists in his cabinet. It will be resolved internally.

    Enrique Pena Nieta is keeping his powder dry and we should, too.

  14. Miles Lunn says:

    I am very careful about calling people fascists as I feel the term just like communist is overused way too much. I may have not always agreed with Stephen Harper but he was not a fascist and nor was George W. Bush. On the other hand Donald Trump if not one, is pretty darn close. Those who thought he act differently as president are in for a rude awakening. Then again I feel most of us have a nasty streak in some form or another and Trump simply was able to push people’s buttons and bring out our nastiness. Hopefully we here in Canada and eventually the US post Trump can learn from this not to vote off your anger. People have the right to be angry but that doesn’t mean you vote for a crazy. Having studied history, watching world events today, and also seeing how children are often bullies, I’ve come to conclude we as human beings are a vicious and nasty species by nature, and being compassionate and respecting others is something we learn not naturally develop. After all our instincts are based on us still being a hunter and gatherer society not a modern advanced one and far too many act on base instincts instead of using their brains and thinking things through. Also Trump is not the only near fascist around, Duterte of the Philippines, Erdogan of Turkey and Putin come to mind as fascist like leaders too, but at least those are still developing countries, I assumed once a country was as advanced as the US they would move beyond this, but I guess not. And they might not be the last developed country to elect a fascist, France and Netherlands have elections this year where their neo-fascists Marine Le Pen and Geert Wilders are competitive in the polls.

    • The Doctor says:

      The reservation I have about applying the fascist label to Trump is that he’s not really all that ideologically consistent or even all that ideological. I personally am more concerned that he is seriously personality disordered (e.g., a classic pathological narcissist), and is thus erratic and dangerous.

      • Jon A says:

        Trump himself may not be fascist, but if it means placating the man’s colossal narcissism, he’ll do as the would-be fascists who have leeched on to him will massage him to do.

  15. Frank says:

    Hi Warren. I am no fan of Mad Mr. Orangey but I am puzzled as to why Canada should say anything. The Trump Admin. is banning immigration from seven specific countries, countries with a track record of harboring/forming/nurturing demented and barbaric jihadists. That’s 14% of the 49 Muslim countries on the planet (where more than 50% of the population is Muslim). There are still 42 countries from where people can travel, immigrate, visit, study, etc. Maybe I am naive and missing something but that’s a sensible precaution. Harboring illegal aliens by whatever means ie a “sanctuary city” is simply endorsing more and continued illegal activity. Why on earth would anyone want to encourage the illegal by-passing of common and accepted methods of legal immigration? I am not sure what part of “illegal” people don’t understand…..

  16. Kevin says:

    I agree 100%. Shame on this government for being so “wait and see”. At least I hope it’s “wait and see” and not acquiescence or a shrug of the shoulders. Trump may be head honcho in his country but he’s certainly not in mine, and I expect better from our leaders.

  17. Ronald O'Dowd says:

    Warren,

    The trouble with thin-edge-of-the-wedge-boomerang-politics is that…

  18. Nick says:

    For those of you advocating saying nothing – with all due respect, it *won’t work*. Trump and the Republicans are only just beginning to consolidate their power. They are systematically picking out enemies, internal as well as external.

    What happens to our people and businesses when Trump decides Canada isn’t “pulling its weight” in some way shape or form?
    What will prevent him from bullying us into a bad bilateral deal, and then worsening the terms later?
    What happens to us when there is an American war, or threatened war, with a country like China or Russia, and Trump wants to ensure energy and border security on the continent?
    Or he doesn’t like the fact that American expats in Canadian cities start agitating “unrest”?
    What can we expect when he has tamed the mainstream media, and speaks directly to large segments of his country through large angry rallies, like we saw in the election only now with the full weight and circumstance of American government behind them?

    Think I’m imaging this or exaggerating? Look at his track record of words and actions, and tell me any of these things would be out of character.

    No! We are going to get a huge political fight anyway – that won’t be a choice we make and we cannot sit and wait for a time of Trump’s choosing. We can only choose our battles, our allies, and our cause. Let’s start talking about that, as a nation.

  19. Al Zwikker says:

    I guess it matters less that American guns kill 50,000 each year. That’s 500,000 in ten years! A few more than any terrorists have.

  20. Nick says:

    “For those that don’t have our backs, we’re taking names”. So it doesn’t matter what we do, or don’t do. At present velocity Trump will one day decide we “don’t have his back”, and come for us. Yes the stakes are huge for Canada. This is not going to be pleasant. That’s why we need a national discussion about this.

  21. vinz says:

    It’s more like Mussolini and Peron. Hitler’s nowhere near egotistical enough for either of them. We not I being one of the key differences.

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