I think I should clarify my thinking on Trump as there seems to be some misapprehension on this subject.

I’m a soldier so forgive my bluntness.

Donald Trump is an idiot. He’s perhaps the stupidest person to ever hold high office in a major democracy. Trump is incapable of nuance and is profoundly ignorant. He doesn’t read, doesn’t analyze, doesn’t consider other points of view and conflates what he sees in popular media with real life. What thoughts he does have are grounded in a profound racism and a complete lack of empathy. Donald Trump is a Fascist.

Trump’s world view is driven entirely by his immense ego and everything is looked at in terms of how it can benefit him personally. He surrounds himself with toadies and sycophants because he can’t tolerate opinions divergent from his. Indeed, there’s ample evidence to suggest Trump selects subordinates based on how they look rather than for any competence.

Trump believes he is in a television programme and we must view virtually everything he does in this regard. Indeed, he’s creating a situation in Venezuela precisely because it makes him look tough and strong.

Donald Trump is a pathological liar and a malignant narcissist. Nothing - nothing - he says can be trusted, nor can he be expected to negotiate in good faith. The only saving grace is that his level of self-awareness is so low that he can be easily manipulated with shallow praise and trinkets - but even this only lasts until the next manipulator comes along. Trump always chickens out because he cannot see the second and third order effects of his edicts and has to be manipulated to walk them back.

Thus Trump is not a rational actor. We can take absolutely nothing he says at face value. So, yes, I recognize that Ottawa is attempting to apply tactics that flatter and placate him and to manipulate his thinking regarding Canada. In fact, it’s entirely possible - perhaps even probable - that Carney and Ford are playing a game of “good cop, bad cop” in an effort to improve Carney’s standing with Trump.

But the soldier and patriot in me doesn’t have to like it. Some 70% of Canadians want a tougher line with Washington and to an extent I agree with them. National honour and pride do matter, after all, and praise of Trump when it isn’t warranted grates. However, I’ll suck it up if it translates into a better deal for Canada but at this point I have trouble believing that it will; unfortunately, we may have little alternative.