Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - November 1, 2025, Winnipeg, Manitoba THINK TANK COMMENT EDITOR: RUSSELL WANGERSKY 204-697-7269 ● RUSSELL.WANGERSKY@WINNIPEGFREEPRESS.COM A9 SATURDAY NOVEMBER 1, 2025 Ideas, Issues, Insights C ANADA’S trade talks with the United States need to come with a warning sign: “Not as advertised.” Elbows-up retaliatory tariffs? Not now. A comprehensive new “economic and security re- lationship” between the two countries? Not in the cards. Canada about to become President Donald Trump’s cherished 51st state? Not serious. A June announcement of a deal within 30 days? Not a chance. A return to pre-Trump tariff-free days? Never. A future for Canada’s auto sector? Not if the U.S. can help it. Canadians are realizing that nothing about re- solving the trade and tariff relationship with the U.S. has been as advertised. What we were told would happen, could happen, hasn’t happened. The chaos and cacophony of the past week prove it. All brought to you by Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s provocative ad, featuring dead president Ronald Reagan’s free trade resurrection, followed by a very much alive President Donald Trump’s temper tantrum terminating negotiations. Ontario’s ad showed Reagan extolling the vir- tues of free trade without tariffs. Trump called it “FAKE” — saying Reagan “loved” tariffs. Piqued, he stopped trade talks with us. The Ronald Rea- gan Institute said it “misrepresented” Reagan’s views, demanding an apology. Trump administra- tion officials stepped up, variously blaming the ad for disrespecting Reagan and Trump; Ford for disrespecting the U.S.; or Canada’s negotiating team for disrespecting American interests. “Can- ada had it coming,” basically, is the White House position. This “blame Canada” game is being played out on both sides of the border. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre blames the PM for having “approved” Ontario’s ad and failing to secure a deal with Trump; Carney was “looking for someone to blame,” he said. The Busi- ness Council of Canada head indirectly blamed Ford and Carney together, saying “in a trade war you need one general, not 13 of them.” U.S. Am- bassador Pete Hoekstra blamed Ford, swearing in public at Ontario’s trade representative for the ad. So, what’s the truth? The episode has revealed three uncomfortable truths for Canada. The most important is that the Republican consensus on free trade led by Reagan is gone. Trump’s MAGA protectionist worldview of tariffs is the official position of his party and country. Ontario’s ad tried to tickle a nostalgia that no longer exists in Trump’s party. Tariffs are here to stay. The second uncomfortable truth is that the U.S. is wielding tariffs not to rectify or even out unfair trade practices, but to assert economic hegemony over its trading partner. Mutually beneficial pros- perity is not the goal. American dominance is. That truth was revealed by U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick at a recent conference when he stated that Canada should “come second” to the U.S. when it comes to the auto sector. They would buy auto parts from Canada, “but that’s about it.” The third uncomfortable truth is that tradition- al negotiating approaches Canada has relied upon in the past will not work with Trump. Canada offered concessions by scrapping the digital services tax, lifting counter-tariffs and pledging higher defence spending. Meant to set the table for fruitful if tough negotiations, Trump simply upended the table in a late-night rant. If the U.S. thought it was close to a deal it liked, it wouldn’t have done this. Elbows-up at the negotiating table narrows the prospect of a deal Trump will accept, rather than enhancing it. This leads to an emerging uncomfortable truth: there is no deal to be had on Trump’s terms that Carney could accept. If Trump wants our auto sector to stop making cars or demands permanent high tariffs and duties on steel, lumber and alumi- num, can any prime minister sign onto this? Yet, no relief from current tariffs means our already weakening economy will weaken further. Can America remain an economic ally or will it become an economic adversary? This question will roil Canadian politics ahead. The groundwork for this debate is already being laid. Liberals say our past economic relationship with the U.S. is “over,” we need to secure other world markets and that, in Carney’s words, “no deal is better than a bad deal.” Conservatives are arguing the opposite case: the U.S. will remain our most important trading partner, a deal can be had, that a failure to negotiate successfully is the prime minister’s fault. As always, there are truths on both sides. Amer- ica will remain Canada’s most important econom- ic partner in value for years to come. But there is no turning the clock back to “before Trump,” con- vincing him to see Canada the benign way past presidents did. He obsesses about hemispheric competition with China and Russia, not economic co-operation with Canada. That is the prism in which he views where our country fits. The inescapable fact is that while nothing has yet changed since Mark Carney became prime minister, everything has changed since Donald Trump became president. It just took an ad to remind us there are many truths in advertising. David McLaughlin is a former clerk of the executive council and cabinet secretary in the Manitoba government. The hoops and hurdles of finding a family doctor FAMILY doctors. Everybody needs them. But I have never had great luck finding one. Without a driver’s license and with no interest in returning to public transit after too many bad experiences, finding a female doctor that I can access easily has been challenging. My early adult years were spent without one. Then, from my 30s to my 40s I had a family doc- tor, and I was extremely grateful for her. When she took early retirement because of her own health issues, I was devastated. After that, it was rare trips to walk-in clinics and only when absolutely necessary. I did all I could to avoid ever needing to go. I can manage without a doctor, I figured. But when I turned 50, I began to really under- stand the importance of having one. I started to be much more aware of my own vulnerability. With certain medical tests required or at least strongly suggested, the question always comes up, “Who is your family doctor?” For many years my answer was, “I don’t have one.” Last year, at age 61, I found one. Finally, within walking distance from our home — this seemed too good to be true. She was kind and considerate; she listened and seemed to genuinely care about my concerns. She understood veganism, natural health and my practice of both. When other phy- sicians had wanted to prescribe medications for every little thing, it seemed, she never did. I felt like I’d won the lottery, after all that time. I was thrilled and relieved. And then, after a year, she decided to leave the province. I was devastated once again. Back to the drawing board. I asked friends and others for recommenda- tions. A few people suggested I look into finding a nurse practitioner instead — which appealed to me immensely — but I have yet to be successful. I looked into Doctor Finder and checked out numer- ous new clinics popping up all over the place with that welcome sign, “Accepting New Patients.” Calls, emails, online messages. Some get back to me, others don’t. Since my doctor left earlier this year, I’ve attended two meet-and-greets with new doctors. The first one had no knowledge of living vegan or holistic health (which are of primary importance to me), and no interest in finding out how we could work together to incorporate both natural health practices and the more traditional western medicine. The second one gave me a lecture on the need for medications and scoffed, “I know people like you” less than two minutes after meeting me. Was it my tattoos? My eyeliner? My being vegan? I couldn’t tell, but as the saying goes, we definitely weren’t vibing. I felt humiliated. If feeling safe and comfortable are basic requirements for us to have with our family physician, there was no way this was ever going to work for me. Needless to say, those meet-and- greets were the first and last appointments with those two doctors. I made the mistake of reading online reviews for the next doctor I’m scheduled to meet next month. As a need-to-know person, I like to gather up as much information as possible before I agree to any kind of commitment or important relation- ship. Many of the reviews are downright awful. I’m not sure that I want to find out why that might be. And I’m not sure whether I’ll keep looking for another doctor or just give up entirely. But as my senior years are fast approaching, I’m more than a little worried about what will happen. I do wonder why it seems so hard to find a physician who is caring and respectful of diverse needs and lifestyles. I mean, I may be high-needs in some ways, but I’m thankful and generally not that hard to deal with. I do ask questions, though, but I’d like to believe that is still considered acceptable. I’ve had incredibly positive experiences with doctors and nurses at the HSC Women’s Hospital while dealing with an ongoing health issue over the last few years. When I emailed the staff to thank them for their outstanding patience and care, they were grateful for my feedback and asked if they could share my message with oth- ers. But trying to find a family doctor who gets me feels impossible. Am I asking too much? So here I am, 62 years of age, in need of a doctor who doesn’t jump to judgment and ridicule about lifestyles or anything else. I can only imagine how many other women are in the same boat for different reasons, be they value-based, cultural or religious. I don’t think it’s too much to ask to be treated with compassion and respect, no matter who you are and what kind of life you lead. Aging can leave many feeling exposed, unpro- tected. At a time in our lives when we may need more care, it would be really great if it wasn’t so hard to find. Janine LeGal is a Winnipeg writer. The necessity of the arts IT’S easy to take arts and culture for granted. Not because they don’t matter, but because they’re woven so deeply into our daily lives. They’re in the stories we tell, the music in our earbuds, the festivals that bring neigh- bours into the streets and the murals that brighten our downtowns. Arts and culture are part of who we are as Manitobans. But the arts aren’t just “nice to have.” They’re essential. Especially right now. We’re living in uncertain times. Our economy faces instability, and we need to diversify our trade partnerships. Young people are questioning their futures. Con- versations between communities are harder to have and the gaps between us seem to be widening. There’s hope too, of course, and arts and culture show us what’s possible. It is the one sector uniquely equipped to respond to all these challenges. Arts and culture give us joy, creativity and a break from everyday pressures. But they also fuel Manitoba in ways that are often invisible until you look more closely. The Manitoba Arts Council recently released a new study that makes the value of the arts clearer. Arts and culture generate three per cent of our GDP, which is about the same as commercial construction, contribut- ing $1.75 billion to Manitoba’s economy. More than 20,000 Manitobans work in the sector. These artists, technicians, designers, administrators and entrepreneurs make up one of the most adaptable, skilled and inno- vative workforces in the province. And the economics ripple outward. Ticket sales, classes, admissions, festivals and live events generate money that is spent locally on wages, supplies, venues, transportation and food. That means more jobs, more tax revenue and stronger communities. Our arts and culture scene also attracts tourists — tourists who spend. According to a joint Manitoba Arts Coun- cil/Travel Manitoba report, tourists who take in arts and culture activities in Mani- toba spend more than double compared to those who do not. And it’s not just visitors that are attracted, it’s new Manitobans. The Manitoba Cham- bers of Commerce found that a vibrant arts and culture community is a major reason young professionals choose to move here. Turns out, we all want to live in a connected and interesting place. Even internationally, art connects us. Cultural diplomacy helps build trust, rela- tionships and trade opportunities long before formal agreements are signed. But the value of the arts can’t only be mea- sured in dollars. Importantly, art helps us understand each other and even ourselves. Artists show us a different way to look at the world and spark conversations that might never happen otherwise. Community theatre brings rural towns together. Powwows strengthen culture and identity. A gallery exhibit can challenge us to see from another perspective. A shared song can cross languages and histories. When we sing in a choir, pick up a drum, join a writing class, dance, carve, paint or sit in an audience and let someone else’s story wash over us, we change. Art opens space for reflection and healing. It allows us to feel deeply in a way that’s safe, human — and necessary. There’s a rea- son so many healing and wellness programs are rooted in culture and creativity. Since I started working in the field de- cades ago, people in the arts have wondered how to best convey the value of the arts. Is art meaningful simply because it exists? Should we talk about lives changed through culture and community? Is economic impact important? The truth is, it’s all of this. Here in Manitoba, we’re incredibly lucky. There are multiple arts and cultural offerings every day of the year, from large festivals to small community workshops — almost every Manitoban participates in some way. More than 90 per cent of Manitobans say the arts celebrate our province’s unique cul- tural identity. They say the arts make Man- itoba distinct and help us find our collective voice. That’s something we’ve built together and we should be proud of it. So, to Manitoba’s arts community, thank you. Thank you for the creativity, the courage, the joy, the ideas, the jobs and the opportunities. And thank you to everyone across the province who learns, watches, donates, vol- unteers, teaches and creates. The arts are essential right now — and always — because of you. Katarina Kupca is the chair of the Manitoba Arts Council — the provincial crown agency that supports artists, arts and cultural organizations, Indigenous Knowledge Keepers, students of the arts and arts/cultural professionals throughout Manitoba. www.artscouncil.mb.ca. KATARINA KUPCA JANINE LEGAL DAVID MCLAUGHLIN ADRIAN WYLD / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES A lot has changed since U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed Prime Minister Mark Carney to the White House just three weeks ago. The bitter truth found by advertising ;