Tariff Turmoil: How Ottawa Fumbled the Play
Trade tensions between Canada and the U.S. flared again this month after President Trump announced an additional 10% tariff on Canadian imports and abruptly paused negotiations on October 23.
The spark? An Ontario government ad aired during the World Series that used Ronald Reagan’s old warnings against tariffs. Trump called it a “FRAUD,” claiming Reagan supported tariffs, and within days, penalties were slapped onto Canadian goods already facing 25–50% duties on steel, aluminum, and more.
Washington officials doubled down, calling the ad “propaganda” and “a psychological operation” meant to sway American opinion. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Mark Carney insists “real progress” was being made before the controversy derailed talks, though he hasn’t spoken directly with Trump since.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford bragged that the ad “woke up the country,” but in reality, it may have cost Canada leverage it couldn’t afford to lose. From a conservative lens, the episode exposes exactly what’s wrong with Ottawa’s approach: too much showmanship, not enough strategy.
Free markets require negotiation, not political theatre. Until Canada learns that, it’s everyday Canadians, not politicians, who’ll pay the price.
Bill 2: When “Efficiency” Becomes Control
Quebec’s new Bill 2 promises to fix a broken health-care system. On paper, paying doctors per patient and linking compensation to access targets could make care more efficient and budgets more predictable.
But beneath the language of “collective responsibility,” the reform gives the state unprecedented power over how medicine is practiced. The Health Minister can now set performance metrics, penalize non-compliance, and even ban doctors from organizing protests. Inspectors may enter clinics and review patient files, all in the name of oversight.
Yes, Quebecers want shorter wait times. Yet a system run by quotas risks making care more mechanical, not more humane. Doctors already stretched thin will see patients faster, not necessarily better.
Accountability is essential. But when reform concentrates power in the hands of government and silences dissent, it stops being reform and starts looking like control. Efficiency cannot come at the cost of freedom, or compassion.
MONEY IN MOTION: WHAT’S DRIVING THE YEAR-END RALLY
Markets are ending 2025 on a high note. Easing U.S.-China tensions, lower interest rates, and a flood of sidelined cash have pushed stocks, crypto, and commodities into rally mode.
This week, both the Bank of Canada and the U.S. Federal Reserve cut rates. The BoC to 2.25% and the Fed by another 25 basis points. Fed Chair Jerome Powell also announced the end of quantitative tightening after a $2.2 trillion balance-sheet drawdown. Translation: cheaper money, higher confidence. Analysts now see the S&P 500 climbing as much as 10% by year-end, with the TSX not far behind.
Meanwhile, AI stocks continue to lead the charge. Companies like Nvidia, AMD, and TSMC are riding a wave of trillion-dollar infrastructure spending on chips and data centers projected through 2028. With rates falling, valuations look even stronger heading into Q4.
Gold, once the star of 2025, has cooled, now trading below $4,000 after peaking at $4,370. But that pullback signals something good: investors are shifting back into risk assets like equities and crypto. Bitcoin and other digital assets are already benefiting, and new ETF approvals could accelerate the move.
With global growth steady and rates trending lower, the setup for Q4 looks strong. The key risk? Overconfidence. As always, stay diversified, but the data suggests one thing clearly: the bulls are running into 2026.
The Soft Rebellion: The Return of Traditional Relationships (or a Version of It).
Looking around, it seems like traditional relationships are making a comeback. Women are romanticizing the tradwife lifestyle on social media, baking bread in silk robes and quoting Proverbs, while men are rediscovering masculinity through cold plunges, faith, and barbell clubs. Somehow, the thing everyone once rolled their eyes at —commitment, defined roles, loyalty — suddenly feels new again.
Maybe it’s because people are tired. The constant swiping, the therapy jargon, the “soft launching” and “slow fading”… it’s exhausting. Everyone’s healed, self-aware, and chronically single. So now, the pendulum swings the other way.
Of course, nobody wants to return to the 1950s (or do they?). No one’s saying women should quit their jobs or men should bring home cigars and briefcases. It’s more like a remix: a generation flirting with structure after too much freedom. A relationship model where polarity feels intentional, not imposed.
In 2025, the most rebellious thing you can do might be to fall in love… deliberately.
PS: A Mastermind event is in the works. More to come soon ;)
