https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WII0hHGunb4
"The tension between the United States and Canada has reached a boiling point,
with British Columbia Premier David Eby taking aggressive action against the
U.S. in response to President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canadian goods.
The latest move? Proposing tolls on commercial trucks traveling from the
continental U.S. to Alaska through British Columbia. This bold strategy targets
Alaska’s reliance on Canadian infrastructure, turning geography into a weapon
in an escalating trade war.
Alaska, though legally part of the United States, is physically isolated from
the lower 48. There are no direct roads, railways, or pipelines connecting it
to the mainland without crossing Canadian territory. Every shipment of
groceries, fuel, or construction materials must pass through British Columbia
and the Yukon, making Alaska uniquely vulnerable to Canadian policy shifts.
Premier Eby’s proposal to impose tolls on these shipments is not just a
retaliatory measure—it’s a calculated strike at a critical pressure point. The
tolls would raise shipping costs by thousands of dollars per load, costs that
would inevitably be passed on to Alaskan consumers, already burdened with some
of the highest living expenses in North America.
The Alaska Highway, a 1,387-mile lifeline built during World War II, is at the
center of the dispute. A 1977 treaty between the U.S. and Canada explicitly
prohibits tolls on this route, but Eby is testing the limits of that agreement.
Trump has responded with fury, calling the move illegal and vowing retaliation.
Behind the scenes, White House advisors are preparing legal countermeasures,
including freezing infrastructure funds and reviewing cross-border treaties.
The situation has devolved into a high-stakes game of chicken, with neither
side willing to back down.
For Alaska, the consequences are dire. The state’s economy depends on seamless
access through Canada, and any disruption could lead to shortages of essential
goods. Remote towns like Hyder, which rely entirely on Canadian roads for
access, would be hit hardest. Residents are already stockpiling supplies,
fearing the worst. The tolls are framed as temporary, but industry analysts
warn they could become permanent if the trade war intensifies."
Via Joseph Teller.
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
