Evan Dyer

As representatives of the world's governments met at the UN General Assembly in New York earlier this week, tensions were growing in the world body over what many countries describe as double standards in the application of the UN Charter, which prohibits the seizure of territory by force.

India's PM Narendra Modi has made a number of gestures this week that appear to signal India will not be taking sides with the West and its Asian allies against a Russia-China axis. U.S. and Canadian accusations of murder plots aimed at India's enemies have not helped the West to make its case.

Canada might be asked to make concessions in order to satisfy the Trump administration's demands on drug trafficking and illegal migration — concessions that could affect Canada's sovereignty and its ability to make its own decisions.

Tariffs on crude oil — or witholding it entirely — in response to Trump's threats would cause pain on both sides of the border.

Canada's crude oil exports give this country powerful leverage in any trade war with the United States. But interconnectedness is a double-edged sword: the U.S. also controls pipelines that flow into Canada. The long-term solution is Canadian pipelines to non-U.S. markets — pipelines that never leave Canadian soil.

The U.S. Senate is conducting confirmation hearings for Tulsi Gabbard, Donald Trump's nominee for director of national intelligence. Gabbard has no background in intelligence, and a history of promoting conspiracies and supporting dictators at odds with the West. Canadian intelligence experts say that could be a problem for Canada.

Donad Trump's threats and claims about Canada may be unprecedented in the history of U.S.-Canada relations. But they have a strong precedent elsewhere in recent history: They closely resemble remarks made by Russia's Vladimir Putin to justify his invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Former senior Canadian intelligence officials say Canada needs to be on the lookout for campaigns aimed at destabilizing the country amid U.S. President Donald Trump's escalating 51st state threats. They say those attempts would likely come on social media, aimed at the country's most economically vulnerable.

As Europe rearms, Canada has what it needs. That can be the basis of a post-NATO alliance

The Trump administration has spread disinformation about the true terms of trade between the U.S. and Canada. While tariff rate quotas are rarely used, disinformation about them complicates negotiations.