Former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien warns that Donald Trump is a threat to democracy because the American president “doesn’t care much about the rule of law” and that “could cause a lot of problems south of the border.”
“Western society is based on the rule of law,” Chrétien said in an interview with CBC. the house. “When there is no longer the rule of law, it is daily blackmail and it does not work.”
Chrétien noted that Trump won’t be in office forever, but added that he’s not sure what the end result will be when the dust settles.
When asked by host Catherine Cullen if world leaders should be more vocal about Trump’s behavior, Chrétien said Canada needs to fight for its values, but noted there are challenges as the country needs to sell its materials.
“It’s complicated, and the world will be different, and we will have to adapt,” the former Liberal prime minister said.
However, Chrétien noted that Canada has persevered in the face of serious threats in the past and will do so again.
“We had terrorism in Europe and murders all the time and so on. We look back and we went through that… so I think we’ll make it again,” he said.
Chrétien has admonished Trump in the past, especially after the US president called former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a “governor” and mulled the possibility of annexing Canada and making it the 51st state.
Former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien thanks Justin Trudeau for his time as Liberal leader and prime minister, and addresses the tariff war started by US President Donald Trump. Chrétien said: “we are good neighbors and friends, but we are proud and independent.” Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/1.7476359.
During a speech at the 2025 Liberal leadership convention, Chrétien declared that Canada “will never join the United States” and told Trump: “From one old man to another: enough of the nonsense.”
Chrétien also noted that Trump’s behavior toward Canada has brought the country together “like never before.”
“That’s why I want to thank him,” Chrétien said before joking that Trump should receive the Order of Canada.
Provinces clash over response to trade war
During his interview with the houseChrétien insisted Trump’s trade war continues to unite the country even as some provinces clashed this week over how to respond to the US president’s Chinese tariffs and tariffs.
Earlier this week, British Columbia Premier David Eby called on the federal government to pay more attention to Canada’s softwood lumber industry, now subject to tariffs totaling 45 per cent.
Eby expressed some anxiety about the situation, adding that provinces like Ontario and Quebec are often on the minds of federal leaders, leaving BC and issues that primarily affect British Columbians all but forgotten.
British Columbia Premier David Eby says Canadian lumber now faces higher tariffs than lumber from Russia, and Ottawa should treat the higher tariffs that come into effect as a national emergency.
Chrétien highlighted the long history of different levels of government blaming higher powers, “and it’s no worse today than before… That doesn’t mean we don’t have problems, we always will.”
“If you’re a provincial government and you’re struggling, you look around; easy, attack the federal government. For us, we try to blame the Americans because we can’t blame the queen and the king anymore.”
A separate clash is brewing between Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Ontario after the Chinese ambassador to Canada recently said China could lift its tariffs on Canadian canola if Canada removes its tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles.
On Tuesday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he respects the needs of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, but he also needs to protect his own province and that there is “no way” Canada will remove its tariffs on electric vehicles made in China.
David Paterson, Ontario’s representative in Washington, said the house Friday believes the premiers are more aligned “than I’ve ever seen” and that his province “is deeply committed to protecting timber and all sorts of other areas.”
“We need a deal for Canada,” Paterson said. “But when you look at what Canada provides to the United States, energy and automotive are the two main areas in terms of jobs flowing into Ontario.”
