21/01/2026

WEDNESDAY | JAN 21, 2026

11

Canadian premier stuns Trump parade

S INCE assuming the presidency, Donald Trump has made no secret that part of his Maga mission could involve the annexation of Canada. He first publicly referred to Canada as the US’ “51st state” during a dinner with then prime minister, Justin Trudeau, at Mar-a-Lago on Nov 29, 2024. Key developments following this include: 0 “governor” label – by Dec 9, 2024, Trump began publicly referring to Trudeau as the “Governor of the Great State of Canada” on Truth Social and that the “artificial line of separation” between the two nations should disappear; 0 shift to “economic force” – in early January 2025, Trump stated he would use “economic force” rather than military force to pursue annexation, framing it as a way to improve national security and resolve trade deficits; 0 continental fortress – analysts suggest Trump views Canada as part of a territorial core for a North American fortress, prioritising access to Canada’s vast natural resources as a matter of US security; and 0 continuation with Mark Carney – after Trudeau’s resignation and the election of Mark Carney as prime minister in April 2025, Trump continued the rhetoric. He reportedly raised the 51st state prospect again during a call with Carney on March 28, 2025 and during an Oval Office meeting in May 2025. Through all of this, the Canadian prime minister responded with pragmatic diplomacy and deft rhetoric. In reports following his election, Carney can be discerned to have adopted a stiff upper lip and composed response rather than engage in direct personal confrontation or public mud slinging. His strategy has centred on defending Canadian sovereignty, declaring “Canada is not for sale” while using diplomatic, business-focused statements to manage Trump. Carney’s Beijing visit significance But what is emerging now goes far beyond rhetoric and polite verbiage. During his landmark five-day state visit to Beijing in January 2026, Trump – and the world – witnessed a bombshell A N O T H B Y L I M T

strategic resetting of political and economic relations orchestrated by Carney, one with the potential to effectively sideline the traditional US influence over Canada. Key details of the visit and its impact on the geopolitical landscape include: 0 strategic pivot from the US – Carney explicitly stated that Canada’s longstanding, close economic relationship with the US is “now over” following aggressive trade tariffs and protectionist policies from the US. He is championing “strategic autonomy”, emphasising that Canada must no longer be a “fragmented satellite” of the US; 0 trade diversification – seeking to reduce reliance on the American market, which currently takes over 75% of Canadian exports, Carney’s mission is focused on doubling exports to non-US markets over the next decade; 0 ending the frozen period of Canada China relations – the visit ends nearly eight years of paralysed, tense relations that followed the 2018 Huawei-Meng Wanzhou arrest; and 0 from “disruptive” to “partner” – the visit signals a move away from the 2022 Indo-Pacific Strategy that framed China as an “increasingly disruptive” power towards treating China as a key and less disruptive partner than the US. Both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in clean energy, modern agriculture, aerospace and critical minerals, aiming to build a more “stable, predictable” relationship. Of immediate significance is Canada’s trade truce with China, which sharply rolls back the aggressive tariffs imposed during the Trudeau–Biden era. Under the agreement, Canada will allow 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles (EV) into its market at a reduced tariff of 6.1%, down from 100%. This could likely be a precursor for a broader deal attracting Chinese investment into the Canadian auto industry, potentially establishing a “North American hub” for EV technology outside US control. In exchange, China is slashing tariffs on Canadian canola seeds from 84% to 15% and removing duties on peas, seafood and canola meal. The message to the Trump administration is clear: if the US continues to impose or threaten tariffs on Canadian steel, aluminum or T A K E H E E

By striking a “strategic partnership” with Beijing, Canada – the staunchest of America’ s allies – has shattered this consensus. If Canada can find a middle path by lowering EV tariffs while remaining a G7 member, it provides a blueprint for other nations – for example, Australia, South Korea or Germany – to resist US-led economic isolation of China. This signals that the world is moving towards multipolarity rather than a new Cold War bipolar system. 0 New model for middle power diplomacy Carney, a former central banker, has introduced what experts call “economic realism”. Instead of basing foreign policy on ideological alignment, Canada is basing it on economic resilience. By diversifying trade away from the US, Canada is asserting its strategic autonomy. At the same time, Beijing is seen as successfully using the visit to drive a wedge between North American allies. This indicates that China can use its economic clout and market size to peel away even the closest US security partners. 0 Leverage in the “Age of Trump” The timing of the visit can be seen as a direct response to Trump’s “America First” 2.0 and Maga agenda. The visit changes the power dynamic for not only Canada but also other countries that see themselves as bullied or coerced by the US in today’s geopolitics. The visit is also seen as a victory for China’s strategy of engaging countries frustrated by US dominance and protectionism. It reinforces Beijing’s position as a central, indispensable player in global economic governance, defying Western efforts at decoupling and collapsing China. Longer-term outcome The visit’s outcome and subsequent follow-up presents a nuanced picture of progress and challenges. Many Canadians do not see it as a sudden geopolitical shift but as a significant step in a complex rebalancing act. For them, the visit successfully launches a more pragmatic and economically focused chapter with China. Hence, many will view its ultimate test in delivering concrete and secure economic benefits. For the broader international order, the visit serves as a test case for how middle powers can navigate the emerging, more fragmented and multipolar economic order, where economic survival dictates re-engaging with China while resisting the onslaught of Trumponomics, tariff wars and America’s renewed imperial ambitions. Trump’s reaction should not be discounted. With his hands full over Venezuela, Iran and Greenland, he has commended Carney for pursuing a trade deal with China. But there should be little doubt that he will continue to exert pressure from the sidelines, with his administration’s “Donroe Doctrine” aimed at asserting American preeminence more blatantly in the Western Hemisphere, serving as the backdrop for further tension. This is despite Canadian polls showing that the overwhelming majority of Canadians would vote “no” in a referendum on whether Canada should join the US. Lim Teck Ghee’s Another Take is aimed at demystifying social orthodoxy. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com

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Carney’s visit signals a move away from the 2022 Indo-Pacific Strategy that framed China as an ‘increasingly disruptive’ power towards treating China as a key and less disruptive partner than the US. – REUTERSPIC

lumber, Canada is signalling it will find other buyers and partners. Geopolitical implications On China’s side, President Xi Jinping hailed the visit as a “turning point” after years of strained relations. Carney was received with diplomatic ceremony that sharply contrasts with his strained interactions in Washington. This has led analysts to view the trip as a strategic move by Canada to hedge its future in a rapidly shifting world order. The visit can be viewed as a potential game-changer for the following reasons: 0 The death of “inevitable decoupling” For much of the 2020s, the prevailing narrative was that Western economies would eventually decouple from China. consequences can echo across a lifetime: lost confidence, lost opportunities and lost hope. If we truly believe education is a right and not a privilege, then silence is no longer an option. The school year has just begun, no child should be left behind. Let us act together – one child, one family and one intervention at a time. As Nelson Mandela so powerfully reminded the world, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”. No child should ever be denied that weapon. Mangalagowri Ramanathan Petaling Jaya

“Carney was received with diplomatic ceremony that sharply contrasts with his strained interactions in Washington.

LETTERS letters@thesundaily.com

Address systemic failures over school dropouts IT is deeply unsettling that in the second week of the 2026 school year, Malaysian children are already missing out on education – not because schools are unavailable but because poverty continues to determine who can learn and who cannot. Every year, as schools reopen and policymakers speak of reforms, assessments, digital classrooms and future-ready education, countless children quietly disappear from the system. No press statements. No public outrage. Just empty desks. Their absence is often dismissed as “family issues” or “documentation problems”. But the truth is far more uncomfortable and far more fundamental: poverty. This forces us to ask a question we can no longer avoid: Why are Malaysian children still being denied education in this day and age because of poverty? Our education system is designed to be inclusive. Agencies exist to protect the vulnerable. Policies are written with good intentions. Yet, the gap between policy and lived reality remains wide. The problem is not the absence of aid but the access to it. Awareness exists but timely intervention often does not.

The recent case referred to Sri Murugan Centre by the Social Welfare Department brings this harsh reality into sharp focus. Jaythara Muniandy, a Standard Five student from a People’s Housing Programme in Pantai Dalam, has dropped out – not for lack of ability, discipline or motivation but because her family is struggling to survive. This is not an isolated case; it reflects a deeper, systemic failure.

This is a reality we rarely confront honestly. Systems move slowly while children’s lives move on. Forms take time, approvals take time and processes take time but hunger does not wait. Fear does not wait. A child’s confidence, dignity and sense of belonging do not wait.

Education is not merely a pathway out of poverty; it is the most powerful tool we can give a child to break the cycle entirely. Take it away even temporarily and the