There was a colourful caution on the Canadian side in the early days of the tariff war regarding the strategies that might be used to bring U.S. President Donald Trump to his senses.

Various people noted: “We have to avoid punching ourselves in the face.” It was a reference to retaliatory measures that would end up hurting Canada more than the U.S.

Premier David Eby is clearly keeping the advice in mind. The latest B.C. move, announced Thursday, is a lot milder than the rhetoric he has been using for the past several weeks about Trump.

“Premier directs government to cancel American contracts wherever viable” was the headline.

It’s an appealing move to the vast majority of incredulous people who are watching Trump’s berserk economic moves and getting increasingly anti-American.

But “wherever viable” is a huge qualifier. After 40 years of more or less free trade on top of more than a century of mostly co-operative economic arrangements, cutting off that relationship is not as viable as some would like.

Eby expressed his wish to see B.C. disengage from as many deals involving U.S. supplier as possible several weeks ago. On Thursday he issued a more specific directive to ministries, health........

© Times Colonist