Avoiding US goods and services – from tech to whisky to air travel – has forced many to find a new way of living
This week the US imposed 50% tariffs on US$20bn (£15bn) of Canadian goods, and Mark Carney, the country’s prime minister, has vowed to match them “dollar for dollar” after the collapse of trade talks between the two countries last weekend. Donald Trump retaliated on Thursday by ordering the federal government to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America.
Such actions have added fuel to a widespread boycott of US products and services by Canadians that began early last year in response to the president’s trade war and threats to annex his northern neighbour.
More than 3,500 people from across Canada shared with the Guardian via an online callout how they have made changes to their lives in response to the US administration’s political and economic stance. Many expressed deep anger and sadness, but remained resolute that this was now a new way of living.
Well I mean… The French in general are a pretty contentious people! France is not all of Europe. Don’t tell the French though, they will fight you.
Also, all our quibbles and strifes are pretty fraternal in nature. We all agree on the basics. We just disagree who is the best at everything at all times throughout history and forever will be.
Yeah, it’s like that time my best coke dealer developed schizophrenia. It fucking sucks, but you know what, I found to get coke elsewhere, so you work around the issue kind of.
The french Canadians can be really mean as well. When I was young I was in french immersion and my teacher was from France. We had a trip to Quebec city and she refused to go (she states she never will even though she has no issues with french around the world), and then the Quebecois refused to speak french with us students since we where taught non Canadian french. It was, something. I dropped out of immersion and never spoke french since.
Hahahaha that is so wonderfully weird. Yep. I mean, listen, try speaking English in Paris. English is literally the Lingua Franca of the world at the moment. You don’t speak English? You don’t make money. You speak English? You make even more money!
In the 80’s tho, the French literally could. not. would. not. give. a. fuck.
They still don’t but they used not to, too.
“Que voulez-vous dire par ‘est-ce que je parle anglais’? Parlez français comme une personne normale et nous pourrons discuter.”
I am not normal I guess. But yeah french was (is) everywhere. They really did not keep up with the changes though, very stuck language.
So magnificently beautiful and colorful though. I’m learning.