Ross O'Connor
@oconnor.bsky.social
Foreign and national security Advisor to 22nd Prime Minister of Canada. Director of Policy for two Foreign Ministers. NatSecurity, nuclear, energy, and climate.
I agree with all of this. But I’m not sure it matters in the end: the Trump administration doesn’t care about human rights and accountability as general principles and has already pushed out a top general in part for registering objections to the boat strikes.
Benjamin Farley@brfarley.bsky.social · yesterdayStop what you're doing and go read @seharrison7.bsky.social's essential piece at @lawfaremedia.org on the Trump Administration's murderous, illegal campaign of boat strikes (#RWOB)--and Congress' dismal failure to understand or grapple with it appropriately: www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-...
Strategic recklessness: Trump's profound belief that Canadians lack the singularity of purpose and the willingness to accept the sacrifices required to endure a trade war is what led Trump to jeopardize the strongest economic partnership in the world.
Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · 2d agoTrump says he might change the names of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans next
He's this close to naming his horse a Senator.
David Rothkopf@djrothkopf.bsky.social · 2d agoWhat a maroon. A true national embarrassment, day in and day out. But this is more than just more Trumpian idiocy. It damages a vital and valued relationship. It makes the US a laughingstock internationally. What a flaccid act by an impotent buffoon. wapo.st/4gUNpvA
"Losing Canadian car buyers will be one more step toward ceding the global automotive industry to China."
Chad P. Bown@chadpbown.com · 3d agoYes, there is one really big winner from Trump's new trade war with Canada. But only one. Thanks to the @nytimes.com for publishing my new essay. Gift Link: www.nytimes.com/2026/08/26/o...
The Canadians are fed up. The Iranians are defiant. The Brazilians are striking more economic deals with China. Trump’s coercion has hit a wall.
Canada will double tariffs on US steel and aluminum to 50%. US furniture, smartphones, clothing and apparel will also have new 50% tariffs applied. Cheese, fish, seafood will have new 25% tariffs applied. US-made machinery, industrial tools and farm equipment will have 15% tariffs applied.
Carney Matches Trump Tariffs With 50% Tax on US Furniture, Steel
Prime Minister Mark Carney matched dollar-for-dollar the new tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump over the weekend and announced support programs for Canadian businesses hurt by the escalating tr...
bloomberg.com
The US is defined by Trump's pathologies.
Lawyers, Guns and Money@lawgunsmoney.bsky.social · 6d agoBurning Our Allies
#Trump’s irrational trade war with Canada is a perfect example of “predatory hegemony,” and a good way to turn the world’s best neighbor into an adversary. Hard to express how dumb this is. www.foreignaffairs.com/united-state...
The Predatory Hegemon
Ever since Donald Trump first became U.S. president, in 2017, commentators have searched for an adequate label to describe his approach to U.S. foreign relations. Writing in these pages, the political...
foreignaffairs.com
"The record shows Donald Trump has behaved, and is behaving, not as the leader of a major trading nation conducting good-faith negotiations; Trump is behaving like a gangster running an unusually crude extortion racket" dgardner.substack.com/p/on-trade-w...
On Trade War
Canada’s fight against American extortion is necessary for Canada, for America, and for the world.
dgardner.substack.com
Trump has managed to provoke a broad convergence between Canadian patriotism and Québécois separatism. Quite a feat
La Presse@lapresse.ca · last wk.Trump put forward a ridiculously one sided deal and thought Canada would cave. Ottawa has now suspended negotiations with Washington and will match the 50% tariffs dollar-for-dollar. When prices on food, aluminium, steel and energy skyrocket remember: Trump did that.
For Doomsday Machines this week I wrote about one of the most remarkable early-20th century “end of the world” science fiction stories I have read — E.M. Forster’s “The Machine Stops” (1909). It is impressively prescient and relevant to our present moment.
Rage against the Machines
E.M. Forster’s “The Machine Stops” (1909)
doomsdaymachines.net
Germany discovers secret Russian drop site near Berlin for materials and weapons. German authorities concluded that the weapons were left for Russian agents were to carry out "kinetic operations" or acts of violence. www.euronews.com/my-europe/20...
Weapons for Putin's agents? Secret arms cache found in Berlin forest
Investigators uncovered the weapons in woodland in Brandenburg, according to reports by broadcasters NDR and WDR and the Süddeutsche Zeitung daily. #EuropeNews
euronews.com
Trade Diversification is good but Facts are facts: you can't swap out the US for Europe or China as a main trading partner because Geography nor should we try to because it remains the biggest economy in the world.
Acyn@acyn.bsky.social · last yr.Carney: Canada must be looking elsewhere to expand our trade, to build our economy, and to protect our sovereignty. Canada is ready to take a leadership role in building a coalition of likeminded countries who share our values… If the US no longer wants to lead, Canada will
Trump says North Korea has "57 very powerful nuclear weapons." 57 is an oddly specific number. A short 🧵on why the real number is almost certainly higher.
Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · last wk.Q: Are you exchanging written letters with Kim Jong Un? TRUMP: I can't tell you that. But I get along with him great. He has 57 very powerful nuclear weapons. He's gonna be fine.
Canada's Nuclear Waste Management Organization shared designs for its planned Centre of Expertise in Ignace, ON near the site for its used nuclear fuel repository. The 55,000-square-foot facility will support 160 to 200 employees and it's gorgeous!! www.linkedin.com/posts/nwmoca...
Today, we took another important step towards strengthening our long-term presence in northwestern Ontario. We have issued a request for proposals for the construction of our new Centre of… | Nuclea...
Today, we took another important step towards strengthening our long-term presence in northwestern Ontario. We have issued a request for proposals for the construction of our new Centre of Expertise...
linkedin.com
Stars & Stripes publisher announces sudden retirement, telling staff his philosophy of leadership and “understanding of the value and mission" of the newspaper differ in “fundamental ways” from the direction DoD wants to go in. www.stripes.com/theaters/us/...
Stars and Stripes publisher announces retirement
Max D. Lederer Jr., the longtime publisher of Stars and Stripes, announced his retirement, ending a three-decade career at the organization.
stripes.com
Since iron powder does not exist in nature, it must be produced from more oxidized forms. This requires more energy than burning it will produce.
C&EN (Chemical & Engineering News)@cenmag.bsky.social · 2w agoA burgeoning group of scientists and start-ups wants to burn iron powder for heat and electricity. #chemsky 🧪
I am guessing this is not an actual abandonment of SK but some kind of maladroit ruse to blackmail Seoul that will backfire in Trump's face as he is a strategic yutz.
Shipwreck@shipwreck75.bsky.social · 2w agoThe gift that keeps on giving…..
Wrong. It's a war and your boss wants to chokehold Canada into submission on Trade issues because he thinks he can. He's been wrong about a lot of things and he's wrong about this.
That carbon dioxide and water cannot be made into fuels without a larger energy input than the energy that can come out by combustion.
Riley Bruce@rileybruce.bsky.social · 2w agoWhat’s a thing from your area of expertise (or special interest) that you think it would behoove everyone else to know?
NEW from me: Russia-backed cybercriminals managed to hack into a Quebec municipality’s water treatment plant systems and gained covert access to critical functions like chlorine dosing and pressure settings before getting caught, according to Canada's cyber agency. nationalpost.com/news/politic...
Russian group hacked Quebec water treatment plant, gained access to control pumps and chlorine dosing: CSE
Russian cybercriminals managed to hack into a Quebec municipality's water treatment plant systems.
nationalpost.com
Genuinely a good nonproliferation outcome here. The idea of getting buy-in from the government could be usefully applied to the situation with Iran, but alas.
Ankit Panda@nktpnd.bsky.social · 3w ago"The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will soon remove nuclear material stored at a clandestine site in Syria" www.axios.com/2026/08/10/s...