Wednesday Night #2319

OH, NO!
Dolly Parton, Superstar Whose Songs Spoke to Millions, Dies at 80
Known for her outsize persona, appearance and talent, she rose from rural poverty to become a top-selling singer, songwriter and entrepreneur. The tributes are far more heartfelt and from more widely different sources than for any figure I can think of except perhaps JFK. She simply had no detractors. Even Trump ordered flags lowered to honor [her]
Robert Reich speaks for all of us: “To me, Dolly Parton represented the very best in America. Her kindness, compassion, laughter, love of life, hardscrabble beginnings, humanity, ambition, and extraordinary talent were what this country is — or should be.
She connected Americans to one another, even during these dark times of Trumpian divisiveness. She sang everything from country to mountain bluegrass to disco-era pop — and always with an ebullience that radiated hope and courage.
But I think what I admired most was her empathy (the sentiment disparaged by Elon Musk. In fact, to my mind she was the human that embodied the exact opposite of Musk.) She felt the pain of those in poverty. She felt for women subordinated to patriarchy (“Down From Dover” and “Daddy Come Get Me”). She felt for working women (“Nine to Five”).
She was also a great philanthropist. Her Imagination Library has distributed more than 200 million books to babies and young children.
I’m so very sorry that she’s gone from us”

Canada-U.S.
Keep Calm and Carney On
The collapse of the Canada-U.S. trade negotiations, announced 90 minutes before the deadline, has been top- of- mind for Canadian media, commentators, politicians, labour and business leaders, major enterprises and small business owners, and many individuals in every province. Polls show support for Mr. Carney’s position at some 60%, despite recognition that Canadians are going to endure hardships when the tariffs become effective. Generally, international media is sympathetic to Canada’s position (“The calamitous collapse of trade negotiations between Canada and the United States is a warning to nations worldwide that pursuing any kind of dialogue with the current US administration is doomed at the outset, according to observers who say this recent episode indicates seeking a fair deal is futile.” – The Guardian), rejecting various explanations put forward by Trump acolytes, and suspicious of the role played by U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
Heather Cox Richardson quotes the Wall Street Journal editorial board(!) that called called Trump’s tariff war on Canada “the dumbest trade war in history” and said it “makes no economic or political sense.”
Tasha Kheiriddin: The Great North American trade war (See Long reads)
Autos, imports, and the US midterms. One reason Canada said it backed out of talks was Washington’s insistence on excluding medium- and heavy-duty trucks from proposed tariff reductions. That includes some of America’s best-selling models, the Ford F-Series and Chevy Silverado, which are built at plants in Ontario. Autos are a major part of the province’s economy, making up 18% of its export earnings. (NB Peter Frise)
But the cost of the auto fight could cut both ways. Trump’s threatened 50% auto tariffs could have a particularly significant impact on Michigan, a state facing a nail-biter Senate race that could determine which party controls the chamber. (NB Byron Haskins)
Peter Frise is “still on my motorcycle trip in northern Ontario and I’ve done about 3-4 media interviews about the tariffs and the trade war stuff – this week.” but sends no links.
Andrew Caddell’s column We are now at war with our neighbour (paywall) concludes that “This abrupt transition may be the best thing for us as Canadians: a chance to prove our sovereignty and identity, and work together. We are more than half a century late, but better late than never.” offering a range of positive actions that Canada and Canadians can take to offset the damage of the US tariff/trade war. Well said, Andrew!
Does he do it deliberately or can he simply not help himself?
CNN’s Fact check: Trump keeps making stuff up about Canada
Sometimes laughable, sometimes deeply offensive as in “they don’t, essentially, have a military, though Canada’s very-much-existent military jointly operates the North American Aerospace Defense Command with the US and fought alongside the US in Afghanistan, against ISIS in the Middle East and in various prior wars.”

Middle East, U.S.-Iran
As the U.S. threatens severe sanctions against countries with economic ties to Iran, Arash Aziziasks asks in The Atlantic, Is Mojtaba Khamenei Dead? The office of Iran’s supreme leader has fallen quiet, fueling uncertainty in a country with decisions to make.
“The Iranian regime has existential choices to make as it decides between diplomacy and conflict. Iran’s constitution is clear about who has the authority to set the country’s course. But no one seems able to say for sure whether that person is alive or dead. And without a firm hand at the top, indecision can become a purgatory without a foreseeable end.”
Meanwhile, Donald Trump has told Al Jazeera that both economic and military action “are effective” and he is “not in a hurry” in negotiations with Tehran to end the US-Israel war on Iran. And, Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs, says the Strait of Hormuz remains closed despite a temporary transit agreement with Oman, insisting that Washington must return to its commitments under a June 17 memorandum of understanding before the waterway is fully opened. Is this an impasse; will Trump do a TACO? Iran seems confident that holds better cards.
Syria
We welcomed the news that Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces leader announced the group’s dissolution as an independent force and merger with Syria’s military under a deal that recognises Kurdish rights, however not so thrilled with Al Jazeera’s report that “During a telephone call on Wednesday, Putin affirmed Moscow’s support for Syria’s territorial integrity and reiterated Russia’s rejection of Israeli attacks and violations of Syrian sovereignty”, adding that “The Kremlin stressed that the discussion also concerned deepening political dialogue and cooperation in trade, among other areas.”

AI, Society & Technology
Who gets the $17 billion? How is it distributed? And this is only the first case… It was settle awfully quickly
Meta reaches $17 billion settlement with states in landmark trial over teen social media addiction
(AP) — Meta has agreed to pay $17 billion and add child-safety measures to its Facebook and Instagram platforms to end a landmark trial over teen social media addiction and settle claims filed by 47 states, state attorneys general announced Wednesday.
A thoughtful piece by international economist Dambisa Moyo
Three Ways AI Will Change the Course of Humanity
The AI debate has largely focused on productivity gains and job displacement, but its consequences will reach much further By revolutionizing how we combat disease, wage wars, and stimulate income growth, AI could fundamentally alter the terms of human existence.

Events
12 November, Ottawa
Céline Cooper flags the Public Policy Forum Academy’s upcoming course, Managing Canada’s Interests Under Trump 2.0: Tools for Practitioners.
The recent trade and tariff developments are just the latest chapter in a new era of Canada-U.S. relations.
Led by Martin Loken, former Deputy Head of Mission (Foreign Policy & National Security) at the Canadian Embassy in Washington, this intensive one-day course is designed for policy and program professionals working on Canada-U.S. files who are looking for practical strategies, solutions and tools to navigate the uncertainty.

Long reads/videos
At Issue | Carney’s decision to abandon trade talks (YouTube)
At Issue special edition: Canada-U.S. trade talks collapse and President Donald Trump threatens even more tariffs. Was it the right decision for Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government to walk away and is a deal still possible?
An anti-trade poison pill made Canada-U.S. deal ‘easy to walk away from,’ say ex-diplomats
The U.S. demand would seemingly halt Prime Minister Mark Carney’s push for trade diversification as Canada seeks a swath of new deals.
(Hill Times) Since coming to power 17 months ago, Carney has sought to lessen Canada’s dependence on its southern neighbour with an eye towards Europe and Asia. That includes ongoing trade negotiations with India, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and the South American trading bloc Mercosur, among others, as well as completed deals with Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, and Ecuador.
“The U.S. introduced—in the last hours—efforts to restrict our ability to have other trade deals,” Carney told reporters on Aug. 22. “We’re the partner of choice in many respects for countries around the world, and the Americans wanted to restrict that. They had language that they wanted to restrict—unacceptable.”
Where should Canada turn, in turning away from Trump?
If we break from one hegemonic power, only to become dependent on an array of petty autocracies, international trade will become a race to the bottom
Senior Fellow, University of Toronto Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy Akaash Maharaj worries that that “too many members of Canada’s political class are rushing towards the wide gate and the broad road, to strike easy trade deals with authoritarian states that covet our resources, even as they scorn our ideals.”
Heather Cox Richardson: August 24, 2026
… Trump’s new attack on Canada might not make economic or political sense for the U.S., but it seems to make sense for a decaying president.
The Great North American trade war
South of the border, the bitter standoff is worrying American lawmakers, who fear new tariffs will raise costs for businesses and households ahead of the midterms dominated by concerns about affordability
Inside the 72 hours that cratered the US-Canada trade deal
Trump announced a “DEAL” on Tuesday night. Then things went south. Now the $1 trillion trade relationship is unraveling.

Three Ways AI Will Change the Course of Humanity
The AI debate has largely focused on productivity gains and job displacement, but its consequences will reach much further By revolutionizing how we combat disease, wage wars, and stimulate income growth, AI could fundamentally alter the terms of human existence.