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[Xando]

German Chancellor Angela Merkel had actually thought that Canada's young, charismatic prime minister, Justin Trudeau, could be counted among her reliable partners. Particularly when it came to climate policy. Just two weeks ago, at the G-7 summit in Sicily, he had thrown his support behind Germany. When Merkel took a confrontational approach to U.S. President Donald Trump, Trudeau was at her side.
But by Tuesday evening, things had changed. At 8 p.m., Merkel called Trudeau to talk about how to proceed following Trump's announced withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement. To her surprise, the Canadian prime minister was no longer on the attack. He had switched to appeasement instead.

What would be wrong with simply striking all mentions of the Paris Agreement from the planned G-20 statement on climate, Trudeau asked. He suggested simply limiting the statement to energy issues, something that Trump would likely support as well. Trudeau had apparently changed his approach to Trump and seemed concerned about further provoking his powerful neighbor to the south.

UK and Japan also caved to appease Trump:

But even before Trump announced the American withdrawal from the Paris Agreement that evening in the White House Rose Garden, it had become clear in Berlin that they would miss their first target. Led by the Italian G-7 presidency, the plan had been for a joint reaction to Trump's withdrawal, an affirmation from the remaining six leading industrial nations: We remain loyal to Paris.

Suddenly, though, Britain and Japan no longer wanted to be part of it. British Prime Minister Theresa May didn't want to damage relations with Trump, since she would need him in the event of a hard Brexit, the Chancellery surmised last week. And given the tensions with North Korea, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe couldn't put his country's alliance with the U.S. at risk. In other words: Climate policy is great, but when it comes to national interests, it is secondary.

http://www.spiegel.de/international...liance-crumbling-ahead-of-g-20-a-1151439.html

 

[Moppeh]

God dammit, Trudeau.

 

[RiverShell]

Jesus, I'm so fucking disappointed in Trudeau. Not sure if I'm voting for him again.

 

[Spaced Harrier]

Basically the EU is alone amongst the developed nations.

Fucking great.

 

[tuxfool]

Oh. That's garbage.

 

[Impeccable]

Personally, seeing Trump hang himself over and over again seems like the sound strategy.

 

[Pankratous]

God damn it, Theresa.

 

[SpaceWolf]

Suddenly, though, Britain and Japan no longer wanted to be part of it. British Prime Minister Theresa May didn't want to damage relations with Trump, since she would need him in the event of a hard Brexit, the Chancellery surmised last week.

Ugh.

 

[crimzonflame]

Not a good look, Justin.

 

[texasairhead101]

No shame. It's part of the job to build relationships and not kill chances of future talks.
Entire world knows he's an idiot, going out of your way to make fun of the slow kid at the playground with a gun just doesn't play out like he's going to fall in line if they did do it. Yall crazy

 

[Sephzilla]

 

[kmax]

EU's pretty much alone on this know huh.

 

[Lemaitre]

lol. People thought just cause he's handsome and fit he was a stand up dude.

Backing off over climate change...talk about spineless.

 

[RPGCrazied]

Macron and Merkel please save us! People will remember you siding with Trump. He is toxic. Side with him, will be your undoing.

 

[Buba Big Guns]

Just for context, Canada's response to the withdrawal

Ottawa, Ontario
June 1, 2017
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement in response to the United States' decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement:

”We are deeply disappointed that the United States federal government has decided to withdraw from the Paris Agreement. Canada is unwavering in our commitment to fight climate change and support clean economic growth. Canadians know we need to take decisive and collective action to tackle the many harsh realities of our changing climate.

”While the U.S. decision is disheartening, we remain inspired by the growing momentum around the world to combat climate change and transition to clean growth economies. We are proud that Canada stands united with all the other parties that support the Agreement. We will continue to work with our domestic and international partners to drive progress on one of the greatest challenges we face as a world.

”This is not only about the huge economic opportunities of clean growth and the need to address the pressing threats of climate change. This is about an ambitious and unshakeable desire to leave a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable planet for our kids and for generations to come.

”We are all custodians of this world, and that is why Canada will continue to work with the U.S. at the state level, and with other U.S. stakeholders, to address climate change and promote clean growth. We will also continue to reach out to the U.S. federal government to discuss this matter of critical importance for all humankind, and to identify areas of shared interest for collaboration, including on emissions reductions."

Did Merkel want a an aggressive response? Trudeau called Trump himself to express his views.

 

[Apharmd]

Goddamn.

I can find Abe and May capitulating believable but our boy Trudeau? Unless he was not ever our boy Trudeau.

 

[whytemyke]

I mean, obviously they are going to have to play ball with him, unfortunately. At least, that's what traditional thought says.

The problem is, eventually they're going to realize that they don't need to keep up the old paradigm, and that there's really no repercussions to ignoring Trump and treating him like an ignorant child. So I really think the US has from now until that indeterminate time to figure out a way to make ourselves stay relevant to the world on a lot of these issues, otherwise the world will just keep turning without anyone caring about the declining hegemon.

As for Trudeau, I'm just not sure what he's playing at. I'm inclined to think he thinks he can tame Trump and keep him in line, which would ultimately up his appeal abroad if that's something he can do.

 

[Barzul]

Well in a way I understand it. Trump is so erratic and impulsive he could do stuff like tear up NAFTA in revenge. I mean just look how the whole Qatari ordeal is shaking up and we have troops there. Before you had the benefit of the doubt that you could criticize a counterpart and not risk serious diplomatic fallout, Trump has changed that. The only way to force his hand is for everyone else to develop tighter relationships, but his presidency is too young for that have happened yet. This is basically the time to maneuver some trade deals behind Trumps and US's backs while maintaining a front of appeasement, especially for Canada whose economy is tightly linked to ours.

 

[hydragonwarrior]

On the fence of calling him out. Potentially more pressure on Trump from Americans who agree with Climate Change.

On the other end, perhaps staying on his "good" side might bring about change. I think the moment you criticize the guy, you get on this list where he no longer listens to you at all.

 

[Amalthea]

So there's a reason he can fall down stairs all he wants without getting hurt: He has no spine after all.

 

[Lambtron]

Trudeau is trying to get the U.S. to agree on letting Canada run a giant pipeline through it, so this isn't all that surprising?

 

[Xando]

Just for context, Canada's response to the withdrawal



Did Merkel want a an aggressive response? Trudeau called Trump himself to express his views.

Merkel wanted to have every country at G20 summit next month commit to Paris except the US.

UK and Japan caved at the G7 not to anger Trump and Trudeau wants to scrap every mention of it for the G20 meeting.

On the other end, perhaps staying on his "good" side might bring about change. I think the moment you criticize the guy, you get on this list where he no longer listens to you at all.

Worked very well throughout History

 

[Netherscourge]

Merkel should have added that Europe can longer rely on Canada either.

 

[gdt]

This doesn't sound bad. Trudy has to deal with Trump and the US on a daily basis. Trump is just fine hanging himself.


It's a complex geopolitical issue. Too bad our president is a big orange baby.

 

[DJ_Lae]

I don't really fault him, as Canada is hugely reliant on the US and, unfortunately at the moment, Trump.

 

[Vixdean]

Let's not read too much into this. We're talking about a country which shares a 5500 mile border with the USA and their second largest trade partner. It would be prudent to tread lightly.

 

[GoldenEye 007]

On the fence of calling him out. Potentially more pressure on Trump from Americans who agree with Climate Change.

On the other end, perhaps staying on his "good" side might bring about change. I think the moment you criticize the guy, you get on this list where he no longer listens to you at all.

He doesn't listen to anyone anyway.

 

[Zareth]

When will people learn. Appeasing Trump won't get him to change his mind on things that he wants to do that will hurt Canadians but benefit his family businesses. This will just end up being a big waste of time for us Canadians and make us look like fools in the eyes of our EU allies.

 

[Kabuki Quantum Lover]

On the fence of calling him out. Potentially more pressure on Trump from Americans who agree with Climate Change.

On the other end, perhaps staying on his "good" side might bring about change. I think the moment you criticize the guy, you get on this list where he no longer listens to you at all.

This is pretty much how I feel: at the core, I'm disappointing he isn't slamming Trump about this. On the other hand, Canada still needs good U.S. relations and Trump isn't getting impeached this weekend.

 

[Impeccable]

People just simply have no idea in life what battles to pick and choose. Calling someone spineless and a bad leader because of this?

Trump is literally the dumbest man to ever grace the intentional stage and I'm confident all other world leaders including Trudeau know how to deal with him. He knows he has NAFTA coming up, he knows we are neighbours with them. He knows what he is doing and acting surprised when one decision appears weak is mind boggling.

Snap reactions got us into this mess and we are destined to repeat our actions. Don't set the narrative for the trolls and paid shills.

 

[Kurdel]

Yeah, that sounds like Trudeau.

 

[Aaronology]

On the fence of calling him out. Potentially more pressure on Trump from Americans who agree with Climate Change.

On the other end, perhaps staying on his "good" side might bring about change. I think the moment you criticize the guy, you get on this list where he no longer listens to you at all.

This stratagem has not worked for anyone yet.

 

[- J - D -]

Appeasing means groveling in this instance?

 

[firehawk12]

Yeah, Canada, along with the great Theresa May, refused to sign the letter.

 

[tuxfool]

This stratagem has not worked for anyone yet.

Yeah, it is losing proposition to bank on that dipshits goodwill.

 

[Lothars]

That is beyond dissapointing.

 

[Barzul]

Guess Canadians need to decide how important NAFTA is to them. Because Trump will rip it up in spite, certainly.

 

[ibyea]

*sigh* Why do people think you can appease Trump when it NEVER GODDAMN WORKS?!

 

[PROh1bited]

People in here getting mad about nothing.

 

[killer rin]

Oh FFS Trudeau. Stop trying to appease this man child, nobody in the country likes him to the point that our opinion of the USA is souring as a result.

 

[Mimosa97]

Canada caving again and bending over to avoid confrontation ? What a surprise.

Here I thought we had grown some balls. Tssss ....

 

[JordanN]

Let's not read too much into this. We're talking about a country which shares a 5500 mile border with the USA and their second largest trade partner. It would be prudent to tread lightly.

So is this the future of Canada? To not say anything that will offend America? I thought we were our own independent country?

 

[jstripes]

I'm disappointed in Trudeau over this, but I understand his difficult position.

We share a border with the US, the world's longest undefended border, and our economies are completely intertwined. Trump's just stupid and petty enough to shit everything up at any perceived slight, so unfortunately Trudeau has to go at this delicately.

He was a school teacher at one point, after all. He has experience in dealing with petulant 5 year olds. It's just that this is a petulant 5 year with a gun.

 

[Tigress]

Jesus, I'm so fucking disappointed in Trudeau. Not sure if I'm voting for him again.

Well you could vote for the guy rumored who wants to run against him. I hear it's like the Canadian form of trump. You can see how well purity tests worked for democrats in the us. He did one thing you didn't like, don't throw the baby out with the bath water.

 

[Pandaman]

Trump wanted to institute tarriffs on us just because we weren't buying enough american milk, it's not a crazy idea not to intentionally needle him for what will amount to nothing. the EU is a large enough economy to fuck with Trump, Canada is not.

19 of 20 countries in that room will have already signed the paris agreement and I have trouble believing Trump is capable of feeling shame.

 

[VendettaRed07]

"New leader of the free world" lol

Justin is the hat for whatever American head he's on top of

 

[Zombie James]

Talk about sending the wrong message, fuck.

 

[firehawk12]

So is this the future of Canada? To not say anything that will offend America? I thought we were our own independent country?

We're already starting a trade war with America over lumber tariffs. Somehow Trudeau thinks this will help calm Trump down I guess.

Well you could vote for the guy rumored who wants to run against him. I hear it's like the Canadian form of trump. You can see how well purity tests worked for democrats in the us. He did one thing you didn't like, don't throw the baby out with the bath water.

We don't elect leaders in Canada.
Hell, we don't even make the leaders run against each other in the same riding.

 

[Maintenance]

 

[Joeytj]

Trudeau, appeasing Trump doesn't work.

Sincerely, Mexico.

We learned that it's better to shut out Trump in public and even in private and just negotiate with his team in private.