SCARBOROUGH, ONT.—The latest round of United States President Donald Trump’s baseless tariffs is about to land, pushing the U.S. into the ranks of the world’s most highly tariffed economies. The latest executive actions have temporarily settled at an effective tariff rate of roughly 12 per cent, imposing an estimated additional cost of $900 to $1,000 on the average American household.

That is bad economics masquerading as patriotism.

Prime Minister Mark Carney has hardly been short of advice on how Canada should respond. Every time another unjustified tariff is announced, the media erupts with instant analysis while a familiar parade of political commentators and self-appointed experts offers its preferred solution.

The federal Conservatives demand a plan. Some provincial Conservatives insist Canada should retaliate dollar for dollar. Others warn against provoking Washington. Still, others urge the prime minister to “rag the puck” while simultaneously skating with “elbows up.”

Anyone who has ever played hockey knows those are not complementary strategies. You either protect the lead or you finish the body check. Trying to do both at once usually means doing neither very well.

Carney entered politics with an enviable reputation as a negotiator. Yet even for someone with that background, negotiating with Trump presents an entirely different challenge. This is not a boardroom discussion with shareholders or central bankers. It is public theatre wrapped around private negotiations with an opponent whose commitments often have the lifespan of a social media post.

That reality should shape not only Canada’s negotiating strategy, but also its communications strategy.

Maintaining public support is always difficult. Trust is hard-won and easily lost. The Gordie Howe Bridge episode was a missed opportunity to remind Canadians of a simple truth: under an America-First Trump presidency, no agreement is ever final. Every promise is subject to revision. Every apparent settlement risks becoming the opening bid for the next shakedown.

Canadians already understand this instinctively.

What many Canadians do not know is whether their own efforts are making a difference.

This economic dispute has never been fought solely by governments. Millions of Canadians have chosen to cancel trips to the U.S., purchase Canadian products, avoid American brands, and seek alternatives in everything from groceries to vacation destinations.

Those decisions matter.

Reports suggest Canadian travel south of the border has fallen dramatically, with some popular winter destinations such as Myrtle Beach and Miami reportedly seeing declines of 50 per cent to 65 per cent in Canadian visitors. Canadian retailers report declining demand for U.S.-sourced products. Brown-Forman says Canadian sales have fallen sharply. Loblaws has reported 15-per-cent to 20-per-cent reductions in purchases of American goods.

These are not isolated statistics. They represent millions of individual decisions by ordinary Canadians who have decided that defending Canada’s economic interests begins with their own purchasing choices.

The prime minister should say so.

Instead of limiting public appearances to discussions of negotiating frameworks and forward guidance, he should regularly explain, in plain language, the measurable impact Canadians are having on the American economy. Show people that their sacrifices are producing results. Demonstrate that American exporters, tourism operators, and manufacturers are feeling the consequences. Let Canadians know that Washington is hearing from businesses that depend on Canadian customers.

Nothing sustains public resolve like evidence that collective action is working.

Canadians have accepted inconvenience. They’ve changed vacation plans, shopping habits, and long-established routines. Many have paid more for Canadian alternatives because they believe the cause is worth supporting.

Governments often ask citizens to stand together during difficult times. When they do, they also have an obligation to remind people that their efforts matter.

The first rule of politics is simple: show up.

The second is equally important: encourage the people who have shown up with you.

Canadians do not need more economist’s jargon about forward guidance. They need to hear, clearly and regularly, that the choices they are making every day are strengthening Canada’s hand and defending the country’s economic sovereignty.

That message is not simply good communications.

It is good leadership.

John McKay is the former Liberal Member of Parliament for Scarborough–Guildwood, Ont., and was the Canadian co-chair of the Canada-U.S. Inter-Parliamentary Group. He co-chaired the Permanent Joint Board on Defence for seven years. He was an MP for 27 years, from 1997 to 2025, and is now a senior associate at David Pratt & Associates.

The Hill Times