Credit: Gage Skidmore | Creative Commons
“Trump’s election poses a serious threat to the separation of powers and the lawful operation of the state. What he calls the ‘deep state’ is, in effect, a functioning bureaucracy that, if dismantled, will disable the rights and freedoms necessary for a robust democracy.”
Recently inaugurated as the United States’ 47th president, Trump’s return to the White House has sparked much discourse and debate. Several faculty members associated with SPPGA have offered their expert insights to the discussion, exploring how Trump’s management of pivotal matters such as cross-border relationships and economic policy will impact Canada, the Indo-Pacific region, and beyond.
SPPGA Prof. Maxwell Cameron, cross-appointed with UBC Political Science, features on CBC News in a publication titled “Will Trump presidency usher in an era of Canadian nationalism?”. He holds that Canada’s reconsideration of global trade may be imperative amidst Trump’s tariff threats, alongside existing international trade obstacles. He suggests shifting focus toward “our country’s own manufacturing and domestic trade” instead. Read the full article here.
In another article published by Amy Judd in Global News titled “How could Donald Trump’s proposed 25% tariff affect B.C.?”, commenting on Trump’s prospective tariff increase on Canadian and Mexican imports. He asserts that Canada would need “retaliatory measures” to combat the “bizarre” policy change which impedes the integrity of existing trade agreements. Read the full article here.
Cameron is further quoted in a Business Standard article by Nandini Singh titled “Could Canada become 51st US state? Donald Trump thinks it’s a ‘great idea'” and makes an appearance on CKNW‘s podcast “The Jas Johal Show” in an episode titled “Should Canada be America’s 51st state?
In the Grist article “A Michigan nuclear plant is slated to restart, but Trump could complicate things” SPPGA Director Allison Macfarlane notes that advancing nuclear technology in the U.S. would require significant federal support, pointing out that the Trump administration wants to cut costs.
Trump’s impact in Asia
Yves Tiberghien, SPPGA Faculty Assoc. and Director of the Centre for Japanese Research, also weighs in. He authors an article titled “Bracing for Hurricane Trump in 2025” featured on East Asia Forum. He delves into the possible detriments of Trump’s presidency for the Indo-Pacific region within the context of recent, and continuously prevalent, sociopolitical challenges. Tiberghien posits that the region’s battle with “power competitions” will only be exacerbated under Trump’s governance, noting that “major unconventional moves by the United States or pre-emptive moves by China could well trigger a mega crisis in the South China Sea, the Taiwan Strait, East China Sea or on the Korean Peninsula.” Read the full article here.
“As the United States transforms from the leader of the liberal international order into an insurgent against the system it created, uncertainty is the only certainty.”
In an article published by Shi Jiangtao in South China Morning Post titled “Will Donald Trump’s return to power deepen divisions between Canada and China?”, SPPGA Prof. Emeritus Paul Evans speaks on potential complications to the nations’ relationship under Trump. He expresses that “fear of China is now joined by a palpable fear of Trump’s ‘America first’ [revival],” and that reconciling Canada’s relations with the U.S. is a “higher priority […] than finding ways to live with China” amidst threats of tariff increases. Read the full article here.
Learn more about the research of Maxwell Cameron, Allison Macfarlane, Yves Tiberghien, and Paul Evans.
