tstambolic

[Daina Janitis @DJanitis]

Our former Prime Minister, Jean Chrétien, turned 91 today. This is HIS "post":

"A gift to Canada from Jean Chrétien on his 91st birthday. LOVE this guy!!!
"Jean Chretien is 91 today and he gave himself a birthday present. He told Donald J. Trump to piss off in the The Globe and Mail. Here's his column:
* * *
Today is my 91st birthday.
It’s an opportunity to celebrate with family and friends. To look back on the life I’ve had the privilege to lead. And to reflect on how much this country we all love so much has grown and changed over the course of the nine decades I’ve been on this Earth.
This year, I’ve also decided to give myself a birthday present. I’m going to do something in this article that I don’t do very often anymore, and sound off on a big issue affecting the state of the nation and profoundly bothering me and so many other Canadians: The totally unacceptable insults and unprecedented threats to our very sovereignty from U.S. president-elect Donald Trump.
I have two very clear and simple messages.
To Donald Trump, from one old guy to another: Give your head a shake! What could make you think that Canadians would ever give up the best country in the world – and make no mistake, that is what we are – to join the United States?
I can tell you Canadians prize our independence. We love our country. We have built something here that is the envy of the world – when it comes to compassion, understanding, tolerance and finding a way for people of different backgrounds and faiths to live together in harmony.
We’ve also built a strong social safety net – especially with public health care – that we are very proud of. It’s not perfect, but it’s based on the principle that the most vulnerable among us should be protected.
This may not be the “American Way” or “the Trump Way.” But it is the reality I have witnessed and lived my whole long life.
If you think that threatening and insulting us is going to win us over, you really don’t know a thing about us. You don’t know that when it came to fighting in two world wars for freedom, we signed up – both times – years before your country did. We fought and we sacrificed well beyond our numbers.
We also had the guts to say no to your country when it tried to drag us into a completely unjustified and destabilizing war in Iraq.
We built a nation across the most rugged, challenging geography imaginable. And we did it against the odds.
We may look easy-going. Mild-mannered. But make no mistake, we have spine and toughness.
And that leads me to my second message, to all our leaders, federal and provincial, as well as those who are aspiring to lead our country: Start showing that spine and toughness. That’s what Canadians want to see – what they need to see. It’s called leadership. You need to lead. Canadians are ready to follow.
I know the spirit is there. Ever since Mr. Trump’s attacks, every political party is speaking out in favour of Canada. In fact, it is to my great satisfaction that even the Bloc Québécois is defending Canada.
But you don’t win a hockey game by only playing defence. We all know that even when we satisfy one demand, Mr. Trump will come back with another, bigger demand. That’s not diplomacy; it’s blackmail.
We need another approach – one that will break this cycle.
Mr. Trump has accomplished one thing: He has unified Canadians more than we have been ever before! All leaders across our country have united in resolve to defend Canadian interests.
When I came into office as prime minister, Canada faced a national unity crisis. The threat of Quebec separation was very real. We took action to deal with this existential threat in a manner that made Canadians, including Quebeckers, stronger, more united and even prouder of Canadian values.
Now there is another existential threat. And we once again need to reduce our vulnerability. That is the challenge for this generation of political leaders.
And you won’t accomplish it by using the same old approaches. Just like we did 30 years ago, we need a Plan B for 2025.
Yes, telling the Americans we are their best friends and closest trading partner is good. So is lobbying hard in Washington and the state capitals, pointing out that tariffs will hurt the American economy too. So are retaliatory tariffs – when you are attacked, you have to defend yourself.
But we also have to play offence. Let’s tell Mr. Trump that we too have border issues with the United States. Canada has tough gun control legislation, but illegal guns are pouring in from the U.S. We need to tell him that we expect the United States to act to reduce the number of guns crossing into Canada.
We also want to protect the Arctic. But the United States refuses to recognize the Northwest Passage, insisting that it is an international waterway, even though it flows through the Canadian Arctic as Canadian waters. We need the United States to recognize the Northwest Passage as being Canadian waters.
We also need to reduce Canada’s vulnerability in the first place. We need to be stronger. There are more trade barriers between provinces than between Canada and the United States. Let’s launch a national project to get rid of those barriers! And let’s strengthen the ties that bind this vast nation together through projects such as real national energy grid.
We also have to understand that Mr. Trump isn’t just threatening us; he’s also targeting a growing list of other countries, as well as the European Union itself, and he is just getting started. Canada should quickly convene a meeting of the leaders of Denmark, Panama, Mexico, as well as with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, to formulate a plan for fighting back these threats.
Every time that Mr. Trump opens his mouth, he creates new allies for all of us. So let’s get organized! To fight back against a big, powerful bully, you need strength in numbers.
The whole point is not to wait in dread for Donald Trump’s next blow. It’s to build a country and an international community that can withstand those blows.
Canadians know me. They know I am an optimist. That I am practical. And that I always speak my mind. I made my share of mistakes over a long career, but I never for a moment doubted the decency of my fellow Canadians – or of my political opponents.
The current and future generations of political leaders should remember they are not each other’s enemies – they are opponents. Nobody ever loved the cut-and-thrust of politics more than me, but I always understood that each of us was trying to make a positive contribution to make our community or country a better place.
That spirit is more important now than ever, as we address this new challenge. Our leaders should keep that in mind.
I am 91 today and blessed with good health. I am ready at the ramparts to help defend the independence of our country as I have done all my life.
Vive le Canada!
(Article shared by Steve Paikin) See less"

[ProudCanRobz 🇨🇦 @RMapleCan]

Best speeches by a Canadian politician ever:

#1: Mark Carney’s speech in Davos - January 20, 2026

#2: Mark Carney’s speech in Ottawa today

[CTV News @CTVNews]

‘America is trying to break us so they can own us. That will never, ever happen’: Carney

[Mark Carney @MarkJCarney]

We’re buying Canadian, and we’re building Canadian.

[𝔗𝔯𝔲𝔱𝔥 𝔐𝔞𝔱𝔱𝔢𝔯𝔰 @politicsusa46]

For anyone who would like to hear Mark Carney’s outstanding Davos speech in full here it is. This is what true global leadership looks like.

Canada should be immensely proud today, because they are leading the fight back when others dare not.

🎥 TikTok - https://t.co/BExGV2YIDq

[Mark Carney @MarkJCarney]

Canada condemns the Israeli government’s failure to prevent the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian disaster in Gaza.

Israel’s control of aid distribution must be replaced by comprehensive provision of humanitarian assistance led by international organizations. Many of these are holding significant Canadian-funded aid which has been blocked from delivery to starving civilians. This denial of humanitarian aid is a violation of international law.

Canada calls on all sides to negotiate an immediate ceasefire in good faith. We reiterate our calls for Hamas to immediately release all the hostages, and for the Israeli government to respect the territorial integrity of the West Bank and Gaza.

Canada supports a two-state solution which guarantees peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians. Canada will work intensively in all fora to further that end, including through the participation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs at the UN High-Level Conference on a Two-State Solution in New York next week.

[K. –– Free Iran @ThatPersianGuy]

Impossible to overstate what Masai means to the city. We achieved heights I literally did not think were possible as the lone Canadian franchise in the NBA. I don't know if we'll ever have another leader as impressive and passionate to represent us as him. Can't thank him enough.

[Mark Carney @MarkJCarney]

This is Canada — and we decide what happens here.

[Mark Carney @MarkJCarney]

Tomorrow, Canadians go to the polls.

It’s time to come together, build a strong economy, and stand up for Canada.

Vote #CanadaStrong.

[BasilSt 🇨🇦 @basil_blue_eyes]

Mark Carney was built for this moment. 🇨🇦❤️

#CarneyForCanada
#NeverPoliviere

[🇨🇦CoffeyTimeNews🇨🇦 @CoffeyTimeNews]

“It’s easy to be negative when you’ve never fixed anything.”

“It’s easy to be negative when you’ve never built anything.”

It’s easy to be negative when you’re a career politician who has never accomplished anything.

#NeverPoliviere
#NeverVoteConservative
#CarneyForCanada

[The Breakdown @TheBreakdownAB]

Wherein Alberta premier Danielle Smith says that she attempted to influence the US administration to hold off on tariffs to give Pierre Poilievre the best chance at winning the upcoming election...

Because he'll align Canada with Trump the most.

#abpoli #ableg #cdnpoli

[Melanie 🇨🇦 @Mellyfax]

Carney's response to Danielle Smith's position. I stand behind this man 100%. Great answer.

[Mark Carney @MarkJCarney]

Ran into a great Canadian at the rink the other day.

[tstambolic @tstambolic]

“We are damn lucky to have him RIGHT NOW” right on!

[IslandMan @LaBeaujardine]

I’ll be voting for Carney’s profound experience. We need it now more than ever. I don’t care what party he is in, who his wife and kids are - or how much money he has earned. I care that he is the economic GOAT in Canada and abroad and we are damn lucky go have him - RIGHT NOW.

[Stephano🍁Barberis @HelloStephano]

This is astonishing. The UK finance minister who hired Carney glowingly raves about him many times in a way all Canadians must hear. “If I was sending someone on behalf of Canada I’d want Mark Carney because I’d say this is the moment we need our most international statesperson.”

[Mark Carney @MarkJCarney]

President Trump's proposed forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza is deeply disturbing. It would violate the rights of Palestinians and international law, and it would set back efforts to promote peace and security for all in the region.

I support the hard work of reaching a two-state solution, with a viable and free Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with the state of Israel.

The priority must be the completion of the first phase of the ceasefire and massive support for Palestinian families in Gaza in rebuilding their homes and lives.

[tstambolic @tstambolic]

@MarkJCarney I’m so in!

[tstambolic @tstambolic]

There are so many things about Andrea that break my heart: her humble, brave words. Where does this woman find her strength? “My beautiful Gabriel’: Family speaks out after boy killed in ‘unprovoked’ Toronto subway stabbing | https://t.co/g8NYH8ba79 https://t.co/RRhoH5GhEu

[Josh Lewenberg @JLew1050]

Hey, it’s Kyle Lowry!