A Green Lining?

As I sat down to sketch this editorial cartoon, I can't help but feel like I'm venturing into risky, perhaps even crazy, territory. Our usual product is cynicism, and there's plenty of that to go around with the grim prospect of Trump’s trade tariffs threatening to decimate the Canadian auto sector. Trump's intentions seem clear, telegraphed with the precision of a maestro conducting an orchestra of chaos. But as I contemplate the future, a flicker of opportunity emerges - in tandem with the silver lining that’s rallied Canadians around the flag.

Before the Biden administration pressured Canada into imposing tariffs on Chinese-built EVs, there was an intriguing development. The President of Ford Canada couldn’t hide his admiration for a Chinese model. According to Car and Driver, Ford CEO Jim Farley, in a surprising confession, revealed that he had been driving a Xiaomi SU7, imported from Shanghai, and he didn’t want to give it up. His words, a radical acknowledgment of the competitive threat posed by Chinese automakers like Xiaomi and BYD, resonate in this new reality.

While politicians play the wait-and-see game with Trump, wondering if his tariff brinkmanship is mere leverage or a harbinger of "Liberation Day" on April 2nd, the consequences loom large. If Trump’s gambit unfolds as feared, the carnage will be swift and severe, leaving American car sales in Canada in tatters. They'll become costly relics, fossil-fuelled dinosaurs in an era that increasingly favours electric innovation.

It’s hard to imagine this scenario just months ago, but here we are. The idea of embracing Chinese EVs doesn’t seem so far-fetched anymore. They’re electric, highly rated, and affordable. In contrast, our closest ally has turned adversarial, seemingly intent on causing harm. The notion of leaning into a new partnership, once unthinkable, now seems like a reasonable course of action in a world reshaped by Trump's unpredictable maneuvers.

As I draw, I embrace the riskiness of these thoughts. Maybe it's crazy, but in the unfolding new reality that Trump is orchestrating, it doesn’t seem so outlandish after all.

Check out my making-of animated editorial cartoon for March 27, 2025, below! If you haven't yet, please subscribe to my Substack newsletter, where I share weekly editorial cartoons every Saturday morning. Substack is a crucial platform for me amidst the uncertainties of being a staff cartoonist, especially given recent layoffs and newspaper closures affecting our field. As long as I hold my position, subscriptions will remain free. Thank you for your support! This "note" helps craft my weekly posts and showcases animated versions of my cartoons. Enjoy!