Yes, I would have millions of Canadians suffer to maintain our right to set our own fiscal policy. The alternative is annexation. Have you seen what the US does to its own citizens? Can you imagine what they would do to Canada as a vassal state?

There's no need to cut trade entirely, simply mirroring their tariffs would be sufficient. If they want lower tariffs, they know what they need to do.

Would I start a war? Obviously not, but I'm not going to fool myself into thinking I'm avoiding one by giving them everything they demand. It has, after all, never worked with any dictator ever in the history of the world. If war is coming, it's because the Americans want it, and we should all be ready. That means building trade and military alliances with actual friends. I think re-tooling the nation's economy on a war-footing would be a good idea too, but before we go that far, I think I'd adopt Doctorow's advice and kill the legislation on digital locks. If the Americans want to treat us like enemies, they should see just what that means. We should "turn off the taps" for oil, gas, and electricity and start encouraging high-skilled Americans to resettle in Canada.

This could be a great opportunity for us: reverse the brain drain and get out from under the US thumb. They've demonstrated that there's no way to deal with them fairly, so now the alternative, albeit the more difficult route, is the only viable option.