TIREGATE: The Phony Trade Panic Designed to Hide Canada’s Real Corruption Crisis

Re: John Ivison: Chinese imports are already causing problems for Canada we shouldn’t allow – Carney would help Canada and allay U.S. fears about becoming a drop-off port for cheap Chinese goods by cracking down on non-market dumping

Notice the author repeatedly mentioned TIRES as the “Non-Market Dumping”?

“Corey Parks told the House of Commons trade committee in late 2024 that the Chinese are using non-market practices such as government subsidies and weaker labour and environmental standards to export tires. “

Yep, it’s the Tire Lobbyists in action… It’s CORRUPTION in another word.

TIREGATE: The Phony Trade Panic Designed to Hide Canada’s Real Corruption Crisis

They want you to be angry about Chinese tires so you don’t notice the politicians robbing you blind.

By Eddie Hardie 🍁 Integrity Canada

In a desperate, almost laughable attempt to manufacture a national crisis, the usual voices of the establishment are pointing their trembling fingers at… tires. Yes, tires. According to National Post columnist John Ivison, Canada’s existential threat isn’t our crumbling healthcare system, our unaffordable housing, or the grotesque corporate greed fueling the cost-of-living crisis. It’s that hardworking Canadian families and truckers might have access to affordable, durable products.

This isn’t journalism; it’s a press release from the ‘Kal Tire lobby’, dressed up in the tattered finery of “economic patriotism.” They want Prime Minister Mark Carney to launch a trade war to protect a retread industry monopoly, all while waving the flag and screaming about “non-market practices.” The sheer, unadulterated gall of it would be impressive if it weren’t so transparently corrupt.

But this distraction has a purpose. It’s a smoke bomb deployed to obscure the real, rotting core of Canadian public life: a systemic corruption so brazen and widespread that it has paralyzed the nation. While they cry over tires, the very foundations of our democracy are being auctioned off by grifters in suits. The tire “crisis” is a symptom of the disease, not the disease itself.

The Tire Farce: Debunking the Lobbyist’s Fairy Tale

Let’s dismantle this tiresome narrative piece by piece.

First, the central claim that Chinese tires are “dumped” using “weaker labour and environmental standards” is a classic protectionist canard. It assumes Canadian production is the global moral and environmental gold standard—a dubious claim at best. More importantly, it ignores the basic principle of comparative advantage. If a Canadian tire costs $294 and a comparable imported tire costs $141, the market is screaming a vital truth: the domestic model is inefficient. Demanding that Canadian consumers and businesses pay a 109% surcharge—essentially a tax to protect corporate profits—is economic masochism.

Second, the alleged “national security” threat to supply chains is pure fearmongering. Diversity of supply is security. Being hostage to a single, higher-cost domestic supplier is vulnerability. The notion that affordable tires for our transportation sector is a “problem” rather than a relief for inflation-battered businesses is an argument only a corporate lobbyist or a columnist on their payroll could make.

This manufactured panic is a perfect microcosm of Canada’s corrupt economic model: protect the incumbent, tax the consumer, and call it patriotism. It’s the same old playbook, and they think we’re too dumb to notice.

The Real National Emergency: A Corruption Pandemic

Forget the tires. Open your eyes to the lawlessness that has become Canada’s governing principle. This isn’t about a few bad apples; the entire orchard is poisoned from the national tree down to its municipal roots.

At the Provincial Level: The Ford Kleptocracy

Look no further than Ontario Premier Doug Ford, a walking monument to pay-for-play governance. His scandals aren’t slips; they are his platform.

• The Greenbelt Heist: Ford’s government opened up protected Greenbelt land for development after selections were made by a political staffer’s personal email. Over 90% of the land removed was in five sites passed on by two developers who had recently attended a Ford family wedding. This isn’t policy; it’s a real estate conspiracy masquerading as government.

• The “Sticker” Scandal: Cancelling license plate renewal fees was a popular move, until it was revealed the new, defective blue license plates were issued because Ford’s government overrode its own experts to award the contract to a company that prominently featured Ford family friend and former principal secretary in its lobbying. The plates were unreadable, costing taxpayers millions.

Ford’s rule is a masterclass in treating public resources as a private ledger. And yet, he remains in power, protected by a system that winks at corruption.

At the Municipal Level: Brags and Bribes

The rot has metastasized downward. In Toronto, the Chief Building Official openly boast about taking bribes… “I helped a ‘friend’ I never met the guy before in my life,” he chuckled, detailing how he bypassed vital safety laws for cash. Mayor Olivia Chow‘s administration was alerted, yet as exposed by reports, the official remained in his position, overseeing the very safety codes he sold to the highest bidder. This isn’t an anomaly; it’s the logical endpoint of a culture where rules are for suckers.

The data confirms what we feel in our bones. A 2023 global corruption survey likely reflects that a staggering majority of Canadians believe corruption is a problem in their government. We are not paranoid; we are paying attention.

The Carney Conundrum: From Trump Rebuker to Ford’s Pizza Pal

This brings us to the great disappointment: Prime Minister Mark Carney.

He rode in on a wave of promise, the “adult in the room” who would restore integrity and wasn’t afraid to rebuke the bully Donald Trump. We awaited the concrete, sweeping action to drain the swamp. We expected a national anti-corruption task force with real teeth, the rescinding of sweetheart deals, and the prosecution of the blatant grift that has hollowed out our institutions.

Instead, what did we get? A “Pizza Photo Op.“

Just yesterday, Carney was photographed in a jovial “bromance” slice-sharing session with Doug Ford—the avatar of the very corruption he was supposed to eradicate. The headline said it all: “Grifter’s Pizza Bromance: When Principles Crumble Like a Thin Crust.” This wasn’t just optics; it was a surrender. It was the signal that the old, corrupt games would continue. That principle is negotiable over a shared snack with a powerful premier.

How can any Canadian believe Carney will stand up to Chinese tire “dumping” when he won’t even stand up to the dump truck of scandals parked in Queen’s Park? His silence on the Greenbelt, on the building official bragging about bribes, is deafening and damning. He is proving himself to be just another politician, willing to break bread with grifters to keep the wheels of power greased.

The Call to Revolt: Demand the Purge, Not the Protection Racket

Therefore, we must redirect our fury. The target is not the Chinese factory worker or the affordable product on the shelf.

The target is the corrupt Canadian political and bureaucratic class that sells us out daily.

We must demand that Mark Carney’s first and only major policy initiative be a “Canadian Corruption Eradication Act.” This would include:

1. A Special Federal Prosecutor with a multi-billion dollar budget and a mandate to investigate corruption at all levels of government, retroactively for 20 years.

2. Mandatory, real-time publication of all government meetings with lobbyists and developers.

3. Forfeiture of all profits from government contracts or land deals gained through corrupt processes, with the funds directed to affordable housing.

4. A public, searchable database of all political staffers and their subsequent private sector employment, to end the “revolving door.”

Stop talking about tires, Prime Minister Carney. Start talking about jail time. You were quick with a sharp word for Donald Trump. Now, find the courage for a sharper action against Doug Ford and the legion of officials who treat our country as their personal ATM.

Canadians must gang up. We must make it clear that our vote, our loyalty, and our patience are contingent on one thing only: the total, ruthless, and unsparing purge of the corruption that is killing this nation. We will not be distracted by lobbyists’ fairy tales about foreign tires. We see the real theft happening in plain sight. And we are done waiting.

The choice is Carney’s: lead the revolution against corruption, or be consumed by it alongside his new friend, Doug Ford. The clock is ticking. Our country is on the line. No more grift. No more pizza. No more lies.

On a related note,

A CALL TO ARMS: REJECT SERVITUDE, CHOOSE SOVEREIGNTY

Listen up, Canada. For too long, you’ve been spoon-fed a narrative of fear and subservience. You’ve been told that the key to your survival is to huddle closer to your “gentleman” neighbor to the south, a neighbor who recently threatened to impose a 100% tariff on all your exports on a whim, as if you were a misbehaving colony. You’re told China is the villain, the “non-market” threat that will “eat Canada alive.” The recent opinion piece in the National Post peddles this tired, servile line, urging Prime Minister Carney to appease a volatile U.S. by cracking down on Chinese goods. Wake up. This isn’t strategy; it’s Stockholm Syndrome.

( @realDonaldTrump – Truth Social Post )
( Donald J. Trump – Jan 25 2026, 12:36 PM ET )

A MUST WATCH. Canada is systematically destroying itself. The China deal is a disaster for them. Will go down as one of the worst deals, of any kind, in history. All their businesses are… pic.twitter.com/WjojIEmtF4

— Fan Donald J. Trump 🇺🇸 TRUTH POSTS (@TruthTrumpPosts) January 25, 2026

The truth is staring you in the face, delivered from the most unlikely of prophets. As the controversial but strategically sharp Canuck Post piece revealed, your ideological idol, Donald Trump, has already given you the green light. When asked about Mark Carney’s deals with China, Trump didn’t cry betrayal. He said, “That’s OK. That’s what he should be doing. It’s a good thing.” While Canada’s political class performs a pantomime of anti-China fury to please their Washington masters, the master himself sees the obvious: Dealing with China isn’t treason; it’s basic economic survival. You are being played by a foreign power to fight its battles, while it casually threatens your economic annihilation.

It’s time for a brutal reality check, served with a side of righteous fury.

THE “GENTLEMAN” TO THE SOUTH IS A BACKSTABBING THUG

Let’s dismantle the myth of the benevolent “Uncle Sam.” This is the same partner who, under the guise of “national security,” has repeatedly used trade as a weapon against you.

• The Softwood Lumber Fiasco: A decades-long saga where the U.S. has imposed billions in punitive tariffs on a foundational Canadian industry, based on spurious claims, draining your economy to protect their own.

• The Buy American Nightmare: A constant, protectionist policy that systematically locks Canadian companies out of U.S. government contracts, a direct violation of the spirit of free trade.

• The Aluminum and Steel Betrayal: In 2018, Trump slapped section 232 “national security” tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum—your own ally’s metals, for “national security.” The insult was galactic. He only lifted them when it suited his political needs, proving the relationship is entirely transactional and based on American whim.

This is not the behavior of a “gentleman.” This is the behavior of a bully who sees you not as an ally, but as a subordinate and a convenient pressure valve for its domestic politics. The recent threat of 100% tariffs over fears of being a “drop-off port” for China is not a policy disagreement; it’s economic extortion. The National Post piece urges you to bend the knee further, to prove your loyalty by attacking another trade partner. How much more of your sovereignty and prosperity are you willing to sacrifice for this “friendship”?

Look beyond your border. The U.S. doesn’t have partners; it has interests.

• Venezuela: Relentless sanctions and attempts at regime change have crippled a nation’s economy, creating a humanitarian crisis, all for challenging American hegemony in its backyard.

• The Greenland Grotesquerie: Remember when Trump, with the casual arrogance of a feudal lord, openly discussed purchasing Greenland? He didn’t consult Denmark or the Greenlandic people. He saw a strategic asset and assumed it was for sale. That is how he views all things—including you.

The old mantra is true: “If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu.” Right now, Canada is desperately trying to be a well-behaved side dish at America’s table, hoping not to get eaten. It’s a pathetic and dangerous strategy.

THE DRAGON’S OFFER: RESPECT, PROSPERITY, AND SOVEREIGNTY

Contrast this with China. The relationship is not based on paternalism or threats, but on mutual benefit and respect for sovereignty. The National Post piece dismissively calls China a “non-market economy,” but that’s a label from a Washington playbook designed to instill fear. Look at the results.

• Your Exports Are Booming: While your trade with the volatile U.S. fell by 6.9% in a recent 12-month period, your exports to China soared by 18%. Your farmers, your lobster fishers, your canola growers—they are finding their prosperity in Chinese markets, not American ones.

• A Path to Strategic Autonomy: Prime Minister Carney’s pursuit of “strategic autonomy” isn’t a radical idea; it’s the bare minimum for a self-respecting nation. Diversifying your trade away from an abusive, monolithic dependence on the U.S. is not just smart; it’s an existential imperative. The sectoral deals with China on EVs and agriculture are a tiny first step on the road to adulthood.

• The World-Changing Alternative: The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) shows China’s approach. It builds ports, railways, and power grids from Pakistan to Serbia to Hungary. It’s an offer of partnership in development, not a demand for subservience. While the U.S. offers sanctions and tariffs, China offers infrastructure and investment.

The Canuck Post piece is brutally correct: “China is the ultimate FWB (Friend With Benefits) on the world stage.” Approach with respect, and you gain access to the world’s largest consumer market, leading-edge technology from 5G to EVs, and investment that builds your future. The piece warns of the consequences of insult: look at Lithuania, which faced economic consequences for its provocations. China has a long memory and operates on the principle of mutual respect. You cannot spend years parroting American anti-China propaganda and then expect a warm embrace. But if you engage as an equal, the rewards are transformative.

Canadians, you stand at a crossroads more defining than any since Confederation.

• Path A (The Path of Fear): Continue as America’s anxious sidekick. Jump at its every command, sabotage your own economic opportunities, and live under the constant threat of its next tariff tantrum. Watch your industries whither as you reject the markets of the future. This is the path the National Post and the old guard are begging you to take.

• Path B (The Path of Courage): Stand up as a sovereign nation. Take the strategic playbook handed to you by Trump himself. Be “principled, pragmatic, and powerful,” as the Canuck Post urges. Engage with China from a position of Canadian strength. Secure better deals for your workers, your farmers, and your future. Tell the United States, with the confidence of a nation with options, that you will manage your own foreign trade policy.

The “China threat” is a phantom, a ghost story told by Washington to keep you in line. The real, proven, and immediate threat to Canadian prosperity is the capricious, bullying protectionism of the United States. It is time to stop being a doormat and start being a nation.

IT’S TIME CANADA STOPPED BEING UNCLE SAM’S DOORMAT AND EMBRACED ITS FUTURE WITH CHINA

Embrace the Panda. Secure Your Future. Tell Uncle Sam to take his threats and his condescension elsewhere. Your destiny is your own—if you’re brave enough to seize it.