Share this Story : Edmonton Journal Copy Link Email X Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr

Lorne Gunter: Nice to see Donald Trump angry over tariffs ruling

In a speech and news conference shortly after the court ruling, Trump called the high court’s decision “deeply disappointing.”

You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.

It doesn’t matter that the ruling Friday by the U.S. Supreme Court taking away some of U.S. President Donald Trump’s power to impose tariffs won’t affect Canada much.

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

Exclusive articles by David Staples, Keith Gerein and others, Oilers news from Cult of Hockey, Ask EJ Anything features, the Noon News Roundup and Under the Dome newsletters.

Unlimited online access to Edmonton Journal and 15 news sites with one account.

Edmonton Journal ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.

Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.

Support local journalism.

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

Exclusive articles by David Staples, Keith Gerein and others, Oilers news from Cult of Hockey, Ask EJ Anything features, the Noon News Roundup and Under the Dome newsletters.

Unlimited online access to Edmonton Journal and 15 news sites with one account.

Edmonton Journal ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.

Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.

Support local journalism.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Access articles from across Canada with one account.

Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.

Enjoy additional articles per month.

Get email updates from your favourite authors.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Access articles from across Canada with one account

Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments

Enjoy additional articles per month

Get email updates from your favourite authors

Sign In or Create an Account

It was nonetheless a very satisfying psychological victory. It allows most of the countries in the world to say, “Na, nana, na na,” to the world’s biggest bully and blowhard.

From Canada’s standpoint, the ruling striking down many of Trump’s tariffs as unconstitutional doesn’t affect most Canadian goods because they were already exempt from tariffs due to the CUSMA — the Canada, U.S., Mexico trade deal negotiated during Trump’s first term.

And a lot of the most important tariffs — on Canadian steel, aluminum, autos, semi-conductors, lumber and copper, for instance — were imposed under a law separate from the one struck down by America’s highest court, meaning they remain in place.

Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.

There was an error, please provide a valid email address.

By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.

A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.

The next issue of Headline News will soon be in your inbox.

We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again

Interested in more newsletters? Browse here.

Maybe the ruling will have little immediate affect on Canada’s trading relations with the U.S. Still, it was poetic justice to watch the bombastic, dictatorial, economically illiterate Trump twist in the wind.

And twist he did. A man who is often spitting angry was positively foaming at the mouth.

In a speech and news conference shortly after the court ruling, Trump called the high court’s decision “deeply disappointing.” He also said he was “ashamed” of some of the justices.

The executives of the company that brought the suit against his tariffs, Learning Resources, a maker of educational toys, Trump called “sleazebags” for having the audacity to challenge him. (Or was that the audacity to win?) Learning Resources was “foreign-country centric,” which sounds like code for anti-American.

Trump accused the Supreme Court of being influenced by foreign interests and said “certain justices are afraid” of backing him up, by which one assumes he means Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett who he appointed during his first term, but who nonetheless voted against his use of tariffs to club other countries’ economies in an effort to get what he wants.

And far from being afraid to back him up, America and the world should be relieved there were six of nine justices prepared to stand up to Trump.

It’s the easiest thing in the world to stand with Trump, just ask the Republican majorities in the House of Representatives and U.S. Senate who have unquestioningly backed Trump no matter how illegal or idiotic has actions. They have even stood by and meekly watched as Trump has usurped one after another Congressional power without lifting a finger or raising a voice.

You don’t have to be afraid when siding with Trump. The real courage — the courage demonstrated by six of the nine justices — is in telling him, “No.”

'Ended up costing Canada': Critics blame McDavid in Olympic gold medal loss. Hmm Cult of Hockey

'Ended up costing Canada': Critics blame McDavid in Olympic gold medal loss. Hmm

Edmonton Oilers Top 6 winger out with injury but veteran centre checks back in Cult of Hockey

Edmonton Oilers Top 6 winger out with injury but veteran centre checks back in

Advertisement 1Story continues belowThis advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.document.addEventListener(`DOMContentLoaded`,function(){let template=document.getElementById(`oop-ad-template`);if(template&&!template.dataset.adInjected){let clone=template.content.cloneNode(!0);template.replaceWith(clone),template.parentElement&&(template.parentElement.dataset.adInjected=`true`)}});

'Impossible we just lost': Hockey world reacts to USA, 2, Canada,1, gold medal game Cult of Hockey

'Impossible we just lost': Hockey world reacts to USA, 2, Canada,1, gold medal game

Goaltending cost Canada an Olympic gold in men's hockey Olympics

Goaltending cost Canada an Olympic gold in men's hockey

'Shut up on the rest of it': McDavid wins praise for avoiding Canada-USA political spat Cult of Hockey

'Shut up on the rest of it': McDavid wins praise for avoiding Canada-USA political spat

If he could, I am sure King Donald would fire the six justices who overturned his tariff powers and replace them with six toadies who would give him whatever he wanted. Instead of being an effective check against Constitutional overreach by the president or anyone else, Trump would prefer the Supreme Court be the supreme rubber stamp.

(As an aside, Friday’s ruling puts the lie to lefty critics of the court that the conservative majority will only ever give Trump what he wants.)

Trump accused the court’s majority of being “unpatriotic,” and of being “disloyal to our nation,” as if the only way to prove one’s patriotism and loyalty is to give a petulant, juvenile, authoritarian president everything he wants whether its legal or not.

Trump must have suspected the court was going to throw out his tariff powers because as soon as the majority rejected his use of 1977’s the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, Trump used the Trade Act of 1974 to declare his existing tariffs still valid, with 10 per cent additional tariffs to be added on Monday.

Canadians may not get much out of Friday’s decision, but is sure is satisfying to be able to gloat for a while.

lgunter@postmedia.com

Share this Story : Edmonton Journal Copy Link Email X Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.

© Edmonton Journal