Welcome to Trade War 2.0.

It’s like a scene from The Godfather, Canadian edition.

But instead of Marlon Brando playing gangster Don Corleone, it’s Don Trump sporting huge, gold cuff links, confronting rival boss Mark Carney with a hoarse Brando whisper, saying:

“Listen up, Carney, you Canadian meatball. Here’s how it’s gonna go down.

“Ya got two choices: One, you can swallow dis bottle of rat poison over here. Or two, you can take dat other kinda poison over there.

“If you don’t choose, we’re gonna make you swallow both. But it’s nothing personal, just business.

“See it as a friendship fee.”

On the other side of the bargaining table is a bland-looking, grey-haired banker trying to rally his country to fight back. He replies cooly:

“Thanks for the generous offer, Don Trump. I give you my respect.

“But today is my daughter’s hockey tournament and I can’t miss it. … Gotta go. But call me if you need me.

“I’ll be in Ottawa. Au revoir.”

It’s astonishing to see how Canadians have embraced our PM since he walked away from the Gangster-in-Chief’s latest shakedown attempt.

Carney’s decision is supported by 76 per cent of Canadians, including federal opposition leader Pierre Poilievre and our usually bickering premiers.

This in a country that normally can’t agree about how to spell toque. Or tuque.

But ever since Trump began his 51st........

© Montreal Gazette