The Canadian House of Commons on Monday unanimously condemned the personal attacks on Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau by US President Donald Trump and his surrogates as the famously polite nation simmered over the weekend broadsides by its US ally.
Lawmakers gave unanimous consent for a motion backing Canadian steel and aluminum, hit by US tariffs, as well as the supply management system that supports key agriculture sectors, and gave a standing ovation for the government’s response to the Trump administration’s attacks on Trudeau.
The motion in parliament, introduced by the opposition New Democrats, rejected “disparaging ad hominem statements by US officials which do a disservice to bilateral relations.”
The purely symbolic vote of solidarity came a day after White House National Trade Council Director Peter Navarro said: “There is a special place in hell” for Trudeau for his “bad faith diplomacy” with Trump, as a dispute over trade escalated.
Trump and his deputies took issue with Trudeau for telling a news conference at the end of the summit that Canada would not be pushed around on tariffs — a point he had made several times before.
The prime minister’s silence on Monday came in sharp contrast to a roar of disapproval among Canadian politicians, who banded together across party lines to denounce Trump’s attack.
While the agreement of legislators who are normally opposed on most fronts was remarkable, the anger also spread to pundits, officials, celebrities and ordinary citizens as Canadians vowed consumer boycotts of US goods and brainstormed insults of Trump.
“Something strange and wonderful has been sparked by @realDonaldTrump’s dishonourable comments about this country. I think it might be a Canadian identity,” newspaper columnist John Ivison tweeted.
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