David Menzies: Wab Kinew ‘talks tough’ on tariffs but has ‘nothing to lose’

Commenting on increasing trade tensions with the United States, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew encouraged consumers to keep buying Canadian, despite the difficulties U.S. President Donald Trump presents in negotiating a trade deal.

“Very wise people have said, ‘You can’t get a good deal with a bad person,’” said Kinew. “I think that rule applies here.”

On Friday’s Rebel Roundtable livestream, David Menzies and Drea Humphrey were joined by Josh Udall, host of The Elevate Report, and independent journalist Élie Cantin-Nantel to discuss Kinew’s forceful approach, which David argues is “easy for [him] to say” given that few of the tariff-affected industries are in Manitoba.

“For Wab Kinew to talk tough like that, he basically has nothing to lose, doesn’t he?” said David.

Josh Udall agreed that Kinew’s remarks do not come as a surprise, given his history of “erratic decisions” in his rhetoric about the United States. However, Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s recent silence does.

“This was a prediction that many people had, that there was going to be a handful of premiers who were going to cry about whatever the result of this was going to be,” said Josh. “The one person people expected to have an issue was Doug Ford — haven’t heard from him recently; that’s an interesting development.”

“All I would say is, can someone please do a wellness check on the Premier? Like we just haven’t heard from him in a couple of days and I’m actually genuinely becoming concerned,” added Élie Cantin-Nantel. “Because he used to be every day, all the time: ‘We don’t like Donald Trump,’ and now he’s nowhere to be seen!”

Élie went on: “My dear condolences to Doug Ford, because his entire political play to distract from the fact that he’s been an absolutely mediocre premier has been to make everything about Donald Trump. And it’s worked in his favour so far, but now that Carney’s conceding again, well, it’s going to get a little tougher.”