Jennifer Robson 🇨🇦

US Launches Fresh China Tariff Probe Ahead of Trump-Xi Meeting The Trump administration is launching a trade investigation that opens the door to new tariffs on Chinese goods, ratcheting up tensions ahead of a highly anticipated summit next week between the countries’ leaders.

The Trump administration is launching a trade investigation that opens the door to new tariffs on Chinese goods, ratcheting up tensions ahead of a highly anticipated summit next week between the countries’ leaders.

2/2
One path can be attitudinal change. But that’s risky. The other path is retrenchment, & that seems to be the pattern in Trumpland.
I think the ON message had merit even if this is Trump’s current reaction. But it would be good to know if timing was coordinated or not between feds & ON.

I have to read this as suggesting that some progress may in fact have been being made.
The ad was not anti-American but it would have triggered some cognitive dissonance for whatever’s left of the GOP, and that would be psychologically uncomfortable. Cognitive dissonance demands resolution. 1/2

Finally, this abstract from her March op-ed in the same outlet may give you additional perspective.

Canada has things the US needs. We can either get to an arrangement that leaves us sovereign, trading and a bit safer, or they will continue to set us up for extraction and diminishing choice. -30-

Raquel’s thoughtful piece continues in the attached screenshots. 3/

If you and others liking your posts haven’t yet done so, I would encourage you to read her piece, as she wrote it, not as @davidpugliese.bsky.social reported she wrote it. For convenience, I’m posting the screenshots below. Her views and mine are not so far apart and not hard to reconcile. 2/

Hi Glen. I can see you are a follower of my account so I think you’ll have some sense of my views on Canadian sovereignty, the threat from the current US administration & the importance of our social safety net.
Raquel Garbers is a former colleague, longtime friend & someone I have learned from. 1/

Southern Iceland.
Sólheimajökull which I gather means “House of the Sun Glacier”

current view

Lecture notes on the next federal budget I’m out of the country this week but tonight I have wifi and I read (rather than watching) the PM’s speech to an evening class of students at the University of Ottawa.

I’m still mostly offline this week but I read the PM’s pre-budget speech (guest lecture?) and have some thoughts. open.substack.com/pub/robsonj/...

TLDR: He’s right that sacrifice & solidarity will be required. But let’s be clear on who is being asked to sacrifice & the role of gov’t in solidarity.

US and Qatar issue energy and trade threats to EU over climate rules Fossil fuel exporters claim investment and security of supply will be imperilled

US and Qatar issue energy and trade threats to EU over climate rules on.ft.com/48BzIy5

Recent views

Maybe let’s stop with the forward signalling and just look at any text if/when there is a deal of some sort.

Tariff costs to companies this year to hit $1.2 trillion, with consumers taking most of the hit, S&P says The firm said its estimate of additional expenses for companies is probably conservative.

Tariff costs to companies this year to hit $1.2 trillion, with consumers taking most of the hit, S&P says.

www.cnbc.com/2025/10/16/t...

#Tariffs #Consumers #Economy #Business #Bills

Can no longer keep up in the goings on of the pretender-currencies. Too much.
*waving hands*

Expecting to see many similar stories in days ahead that are, effectively, investor coms to contain sell-offs

Close! Vincent Massey Park. Also part of NCC lands.
A very under-used throwback to (lovely) Victorian ideals of public spaces.

My fav bit of my commute these days

Are you a new or soon-to-be PhD? Do you work on socio-economic inequality, poverty, and/or mobility? Do you study income, wealth, or earnings? Are you passionate about research as well as policy analyses? If so, we may be the perfect home for you, starting in fall 2026? Take a look! 🍎 #postdoc 👇👇👇

Leftover stuffing with a drizzle of gravy… for breakfast.

a sign that says happy thanksgiving with maple leaves in the background ALT: a sign that says happy thanksgiving with maple leaves in the background

Years ago, a family member relayed a story of speaking to Americans about the Canadian Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

One of them asked: "YOU have Thanksgiving in Canada? What do you have to be thankful for?" This was in the 1990s, no MAGA or Trump in politics.

SO thankful to be Canadian, always.

I know… sigh..

I also note that the Canada Disability Benefit is listed as one of the benefits for automation. As @lindsaytedds.bsky.social and I have pointed out, with NGOs like Disability Without Poverty, the disability tax credit is a major obstacle to access to this (still too small) benefit. Progress!!!!

how many lower income Canadian pay to file to keep benefits, and how many Canadians have simple returns where the CRA could help. This seems like a commitment to finally help!

Other key voices on this have been @lindsaytedds.bsky.social @gillianpetit.bsky.social, & NGOs like Prosper Canada. 2/3

Announcement from PM Carney moments ago and this is good news. I've been working on this issue with @saulschwartz.bsky.social and @agenestgregoire.bsky.social for years. We've documented how many Canadians don't file and miss out on or loose benefits, .. 1/3

Thanks for coming to watch the film tonight!
We’ll be back next month with “The Death of Stalin”

Spend it with the people you love most in the world, diving your time between doing the things you most love sharing with them and some time that is just for you. I managed some of this (in between work), and it felt pretty good.

Sincerely, thank you.

It’s an unseasonably warm fall day.
Today is my last day in my 40s.
Feels like a bit of a personal transition moment.
Thinking a lot about how I want to use my time, recognizing there’s a bit less of it ahead of me than behind.

Not my monkeys. Not my circus. I’m really keen to keep it that way, but this seems about right.