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Winnipeg Free Press
5 days ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Political tensions real, but when chips are down Canadians, Americans show up for each other
It's an odd contradiction. One day, we're in a full-blown trade war with the United States, boycotting American whiskey and throwing around retaliatory tariffs like poker chips. The next, we're welcoming U.S. firefighters with open arms to help battle raging wildfires in northern Manitoba. This is Canada-U.S. relations in 2025. On one hand, we have tit-for-tat tariffs on steel, aluminum, lumber and other goods. On the other, we have boots on the ground — Americans working shoulder to shoulder with Canadians, risking their lives to protect our communities from natural disaster. American fire crews prepare to leave the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Thursday morning to help battle the province's wildfires. (Province of Manitoba) It's a jarring contrast, but it reveals something deeper about the true nature of our relationship with our neighbours to the south: when push comes to shove, ideology takes a back seat to humanity. Let's rewind. When President Donald Trump reignited his tariff playbook earlier this year — slapping duties on Canadian imports ranging from paper products to maple syrup — Canada responded in kind. Ottawa announced retaliatory tariffs, and province, including Manitoba, didn't hold back. In a highly publicized move, Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries announced it would no longer stock American-made alcohols, including some popular Tennessee bourbons and California wines. The ban remains in effect. There's been a wave of similar symbolic boycotts across the country. Cities are pulling back from U.S. construction contracts. Local officials are urging consumers to 'Buy Canadian.' Many Canadians are refusing to vacation in the U.S., even for weekend getaways. Nationalism has found a new rallying cry. And who can blame them? Trump's America-First approach has always played well with parts of the Republican base, but it comes at a cost to long-standing trade partners, such as Canada. Jobs are at risk. Exporters are left scrambling. And everyday consumers are caught in the crossfire. But just as the rhetoric ramps up in press conferences and policy briefings, something remarkable unfolds on the ground. As fires raged across northern Manitoba in recent weeks, threatening dozens of communities and displacing more than 18,000 people, Canada could rely on its old friend — the United States (and others) — for help. Approximately 100 firefighters and 25 managerial or support staff from the U.S. arrived Thursday to help extinguish the flames. About 110 more American firefighters are expected next week. No conditions. No political games. Just help. It's not the first time, of course. Canada and the U.S. have a long history of mutual aid during wildfires, floods and other natural disasters. The agreements are baked into our shared protocols and border pacts. They're largely immune to whatever political storm is brewing in Washington or Ottawa at the time. When the Fort McMurray fires devastated Alberta in 2016, for example, American crews came north. Canadian crews returned the favour during catastrophic wildfires in California. This is what neighbours do — they help each other in times of crisis. What this juxtaposition reveals is a deeper truth often lost in the political noise: real people — firefighters, volunteers, displaced families — don't live their lives according to tariff schedules or party platforms. When disaster strikes, ideology melts away. What matters is compassion, co-ordination, and trust. The people fighting fires in northern Manitoba don't care whether their counterparts voted Democrat or Republican. They care about containing the blaze, saving homes and making sure everyone gets out safely. That kind of co-operation can't be legislated or sanctioned. It comes from a bond far deeper than economics or trade agreements. It's rooted in a shared history, a cultural closeness and the lived experience of two nations that, for better or worse, are joined at the hip. So where does that leave us? We're clearly in a period of strained political relations with the U.S., fuelled by the unpredictable and narcissistic behaviour of a deranged American president. Trade fights are real, and the consequences affect livelihoods from places such as Winnipeg and Flin Flon. Wednesdays Sent weekly from the heart of Turtle Island, an exploration of Indigenous voices, perspectives and experiences. But let's not let the politics define the entire story. Because on the ground, when lives are on the line, the Canada-U.S. relationship still works. In fact, it thrives. Maybe we should take a page from our own emergency playbook. If we can collaborate so effectively during wildfires — sharing resources, respecting protocols and trusting each other's expertise — why can't we bring that same spirit to trade talks and economic policy? It's tempting for politicians to rally around a common enemy, especially when that enemy is conveniently located just south of the border. But the real world is messier. The same country that imposes unfair tariffs is also the one helping douse the flames in our backyard. In the end, maybe the best measure of a relationship isn't found in balance sheets or tariff lists. Maybe it's found in the way people show up for each other — when it really counts. Tom BrodbeckColumnist Tom Brodbeck is a columnist with the Free Press and has over 30 years experience in print media. He joined the Free Press in 2019. Born and raised in Montreal, Tom graduated from the University of Manitoba in 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and commerce. Read more about Tom. Tom provides commentary and analysis on political and related issues at the municipal, provincial and federal level. His columns are built on research and coverage of local events. The Free Press's editing team reviews Tom's columns before they are posted online or published in print – part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
CBC
02-05-2025
- CBC
Winnipeg police warn of counterfeit cash marked 'prop money' after $12K seized
Winnipeg police are warning people about counterfeit Canadian bills in the city, after reports about fake cash in the first part of this year more than doubled compared to the same time in 2024. Const. Keith Ladobruk said fraudulent bills are being found across Winnipeg, at businesses including restaurants and retail stores. "At first touch, these feel real," said Ladobruk, who works with the financial crimes unit, adding the counterfeits are often not identified until a business deposits them at a financial institution and someone there notices the fakes. "You need to take that one or two seconds to look it over to see that it is a potential counterfeit." Ladobruk said in the first quarter of last year, there were 30 counterfeit incidents reported to Winnipeg police. In the same period this year, that number was 67. Const. Pat Saydak said police seized about $12,000 worth of counterfeit bills during that time. Most involved the same type of fakes, with the words "prop money" printed in reverse in small black print on top of the holographic strip on the back of the note, and the same words embedded holographically. Saydak said the fraudulent bank notes are high-quality and replicate the look and feel of legitimate polymer bills, and even have some of the security features found in real bills. The counterfeit bills seized by police had serial numbers GJR6710018 through GJR6710022 and were in denominations of $20, $50 and $100, he said. Police said fake money is becoming more prevalent across Canada, though they believe it likely comes from outside the country — in part because similar notes have been seized by the Canada Border Services Agency in bulk quantities, Sgt. Trevor Thompson said. While Thompson wouldn't say where police believe the fake bills found in Winnipeg came from, a recent case in Nova Scotia saw more than $100,000 of counterfeit Canadian money seized after authorities intercepted packages shipped to Canada from China. He said because of how many packages come into Canada through shipping containers and other avenues, police believe the number of fake bills seized is small compared to what gets in. Thompson said police have also "frequently" gotten reports from Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries about counterfeit bills, saying places like casinos where large amounts of money are passed are "going to see an increased number compared to a retail location." Bills sold on Instagram, TikTok Counterfeit money is now often advertised for sale on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok "under the guise that it's for movie making and film production," said Thompson. Even if that was the case, there are laws and trademarks preventing producing anything in the likeness of a Canadian bank note, he said. "These are not legitimate notes, regardless of what anybody is portraying them to be on social media," Thompson said. "If somebody wanted to make prop money, it could be made differently." He said while people can be charged for both producing and knowingly passing on counterfeit money, the counterfeits police are encountering "are such high quality, there's a good chance that people that are passing them are not aware of [what] they're doing." Thompson said police haven't seen counterfeiting issues at this level "in almost a generation" — and people may not notice the fakes because counterfeiting is no longer top of mind after Canada introduced harder-to-duplicate plastic money years ago. Some also may not be familiar with exactly what Canadian money should look like, either because of the prevalence of cashless transactions or because they're new to the country, he said. 'Not an easy fix' He said while Winnipeg police have made arrests related to individual incidents, "we're not at that point yet where we can say, you know, we've identified … a cell or a group of individuals or organization that is actively importing them. "The complexity and the volume of notes and the location where they're coming from, it's not an easy fix." Saydak said there are a few things people can keep in mind to tell if bills they come across are real or fake, including a slight difference in colour between the two. Pictures on the counterfeit bills may also start to wear off, and the notes can become creased in the middle and appear more similar to a paper note. The fake bills' holographic strips can also be raised slightly off the note, instead of being flush and integrated with the rest of the bill, he said. Anyone concerned that bills they have may be counterfeit is encouraged to go to their financial institutions or consult the Bank of Canada's website.
