Canada has spent far too long being dragged around by the United States.

If you didn’t watch Pierre Poilievre’s press conference regarding the recent Trump tariff threat, let me break it down for you. His speech ignited a sense of patriotic pride I haven’t felt in a long time. We are Canadians, and we do not back down. It is time to unleash our economic power and take back control of our future.

For years, Canada has been a resource-rich nation held hostage by anti-growth policies, environmental extremists, and weak leadership. We are sitting on a goldmine, yet we are watching our economy crumble due to self-inflicted wounds. As Poilievre noted, Canada ranks among the top five in the world in key economic resources. We have the third-largest wealth in oil, gas, minerals, and forests, valued at $33 trillion. We hold 25 percent of the world’s renewable freshwater supply. We have the third-largest proven oil reserves globally, yet we struggle to get our own product to market. Canada is a top-three global producer of uranium, a resource critical for nuclear energy. We are also a global supplier of wheat, canola, and legumes.

With these advantages, Canada should be an economic powerhouse. Instead, we are staggering under the weight of government red tape, pipeline cancellations, and disastrous economic policies.

We are in this crisis because of non-governmental organizations, radical environmental zealots, and the Liberal-NDP coalition government under Justin Trudeau, Jagmeet Singh, and Steven Guilbeault. They have done everything in their power to sabotage resource extraction and pipeline construction. Quebec and British Columbia have been no better, throwing every roadblock possible at vital pipeline projects that could have secured our energy independence and diversified our economy. Instead of exporting our oil and gas to European markets desperate for reliable energy, we have left ourselves vulnerable and dependent on the United States for survival. The hypocrisy is undeniable. Quebec, after opposing pipelines, now faces tariffs on its own oil and gas imports from the U.S.—a direct consequence of rejecting a Canadian pipeline. As Premier Danielle Smith pointed out, if Quebec had supported Canadian pipelines, it would not have to worry about tariffs on its energy supply. This is what happens when short-sighted politics trump national interest.

While Canada is being crushed by anti-industry policies, Glencore, just across the border, is thriving with metallurgical coal production. Why? Their market is not the United States.

It is time to mine the metallurgical coal at Grassy Mountain. The Crowsnest Pass has the opportunity to reclaim its place as a driving force in Canada’s prosperity. At one time, it was known as the Pittsburgh of Canada—a booming centre of industry, jobs, and economic strength. Canada ethically produces its resources with the highest environmental standards in the world. If we refuse to develop our own industries, the world will turn to countries with abysmal human rights records and zero environmental protections. Canada should be a world leader instead of outsourcing our wealth to China, Venezuela, or Saudi Arabia.

Donald Trump has just exposed how economically broken Canada has become—not because of external threats, but because of the reckless regulatory strangulation imposed by the Liberals. Bill C-69, which Poilievre has rightly called the anti-resource law, is a cancer on this country’s economy, killing investment, stalling development, and ensuring that we remain dependent on the United States.

Trump’s decision to grant a temporary reprieve on the proposed 25 percent tariff is not a victory for Trudeau. It is a glaring warning sign of our economic vulnerability. The United States dictated the terms, forcing Canada to deploy 10,000 border agents, increase surveillance, and create a fentanyl task force to fight drug smuggling. Canada is paying a steep price for its weak negotiating position, all while still facing the looming threat of tariffs once the 30-day suspension expires. This is not leadership. This is desperation.

I cannot help but think this is a terrible week for Steven Guilbeault. Everything he has fought for—killing pipelines, stifling growth, and forcing a radical green agenda—is crumbling around him. And it’s about time.

Pierre Poilievre understands what needs to be done. His plan is clear. He would fight back against U.S. tariffs by retaliating against the proposed 25 percent tariff on Canadian goods and exploring new trade options. He would restore economic competitiveness by cutting crippling regulations, repealing Bill C-69, and making Canada a magnet for investment and manufacturing again. He would secure our borders by addressing illegal immigration and drug smuggling, which weaken our position in trade negotiations. He would end weak trade deals by reforming the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, eliminating softwood lumber tariffs, and exempting Canada from the Buy America policy. He would protect domestic industry by imposing a 100 percent tariff on Chinese electric vehicles, ensuring Canadian jobs stay in Canada.

This is our moment of reckoning. We must build the pipelines, expand manufacturing, increase oil and gas production, and develop our mines. We must cut the carbon tax, lower income taxes, and revive Canada’s economy before it is too late.

Perhaps this trade war will finally make people like Mayor Craig Snodgrass of High River, the Livingstone Landowners, and Kevin Van Tighem understand that without resource development, this country collapses. Maybe the Livingstone Landowners should focus on beef sales and keeping cattle waste out of our rivers instead of blocking coal mines. Maybe Mayor Snodgrass should worry about the financial mess that is High River’s recreation centre, a scandal that may soon rival the town’s long-standing feedlot controversies. I can’t help but think Snodgrass is using the coal mining issue to distract the people of High River from his council’s unpopular decisions.

Canada has spent far too long as the tail being dragged around by the United States. We should be the richest nation in the world, not a submissive energy colony dependent on Washington’s goodwill. It is time to unleash the full force of Canada’s economic engine and take back our national pride.

While the rest of Canada remains under the looming threat of a 25 percent tariff, Alberta stands apart thanks to Premier Danielle Smith. She took decisive action, met with Trump, and negotiated a 10 percent tariff deal, shielding our province from the economic fallout. This is leadership in action. Alberta’s industries, workers, and families now have a fighting chance while the rest of the country scrambles under Trudeau’s failed policies. Thank you, Premier Smith, for standing up for Alberta and protecting your people when no one else would.

The environmental zealots have had their turn. Now it is ours.

The time for apologies, delays, and excuses is over.

Build the pipelines. Mine the metallurgical coal. Drill for oil. Expand our military. Cut the carbon tax. Lower income taxes. Get Canada running at full throttle again.