We must remember that Carney publicly stated he still intends to meet with the evil Kevin Roberts, and will likely do so in secret, behind closed doors, now that Canadians made clear their fury at Carney inviting a Nazi to our table.
This Is Not the Time to Make Nice by Charlie Angus, Sep 14, 2025
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Carney announced an invitation for Kevin Roberts, the architect of Project 2025, to meet with his Liberal Cabinet ahead of Parliament’s return.
The announcement caused a storm of controversy.
The Prime Minister’s defenders were quick to jump into the online fray with reassurances that Carney was wiser than us (just trust him) or that it was simply a case of keeping your enemies close.
One man scolded me, saying I didn’t understand the world of high-stakes negotiations. Apparently, Carney would use the meeting to glean key information from Mr. Robert’s body language and vocal inflections.
Such comments did little to shut down the righteous indignation among many Canadians who saw this as a naive attempt to engage with a man who is militantly opposed to everything our nation stands for.
Roberts has stated his willingness to “unapologetically destroy” institutions that stand in the way of the far-right takeover of the United States. He backs it up with the threat of menace that the takeover will be peaceful only if (and “if” is the big word here) the left is willing to cede their ground.
In Roberts’s worldview, the troublesome “left” includes elected municipal and state administrations who are not Republican. Roberts proposes abolishing the democratic rights of these cities and replacing them with what he calls “state municipal districts.”What Daniell Smith’s Extreme Evangelicals are trying to do in Alberta?
What possible lessons could this enemy of Canadian values offer the Carney government?
Someone on social media pointed out it would be like inviting Joseph Goebbels to meet with the British cabinet when they probably would have been better off learning from Pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
No doubt the smart guys and gals in cabinet were sure that they could handle a guy like Roberts.
It recalls the warning of Adorno and Horkheimer:
“One of the lessons of the Hitler period is the stupidity of cleverness… Clever people have always made things easy for barbarians, because they are so stupid. It is the well-informed, farsighted judgements, the prognoses based on statistics and experience, the observations which begin: “I happen to be an expert in this field,” it is the well-founded, conclusive statements which are untrue. Hitler was against intellect and humanity. But there is also an intellect which is against humanity: it is distinguished by well-informed superiority.”
In the face of the outcry, Carney quickly backtracked. Or did he?
The PMO issued a statement that “regrettably, Dr. Roberts’ office indicated that he can no longer join us to present today.” Apparently, “Dr. Roberts” was simply too busy. But if that’s the case, it suggests a situation even more disturbing than the original invite.
The Prime Minister made a political blunder, which was compounded by the failure to recognize the legitimate anger of Canadians who do not want to make space for conversations with those intent on destroying democracy and the rule of law. They want our government to defend these values.
As I was writing this, President Trump released an AI image of himself as the crazed colonel in Apocalypse Now who scorched a village with napalm so his “boys” could surf. Against a backdrop of military helicopters and a fiery orange sky, Trump boasted that he was about to unleash an apocalypse on the people of Chicago. He stated that they would learn the meaning of his newly formed Ministry of War.
Does anyone think for a second that a man who brags about attacking his own citizens will let Canada off with a gentleman’s trade agreement?
The rhetoric from Washington is escalating. FBI director Kash Patel accused us of flooding the United States with terrorists. Homeland Security director Kristi Noem says our border represents a threat to American safety.
Now Attorney General Pam Bondi is accusing Canada of creating a crisis in human trafficking.
These are orchestrated outbursts of falsehood to demonize Canada. This is the part of the fascist playbook. The stakes are frighteningly high so I understand the PM’s desire to tread carefully.
But there are areas where we can’t cede ground. If we do, the fascists will take it. That is how they operate.
What keeps me up at night are the words of Louis Fischer, a journalist who documented the Nazi rise to power. He wrote that Hitler’s opponents couldn’t comprehend the real nature of the Nazi threat. As reasonable and democratic people, they made the mistake of believing that they could negotiate with Hitler. Or they thought that they were wiser than Nazi street thugs. They reassured themselves that Hitler was “just being Hitler.”
And so, they willingly ceded ground, believing it was a strategy to bring the Nazis into the democratic fold or outwit them. In ceding ground, they fell into the abyss.
Fischer writes:
“How did Hitler come to power in Germany? Hitler’s policy at home and abroad has always been to reveal his plans. Hyper-suspicious of propaganda, however, led many people to doubt what he said. The Nazis boasted that they would rule Germany, and Hitler painted a picture of his future rule. “Heads will roll,” he said.
He would destroy democracy. Yet democracy tolerated him and helped him take office. The peaceful death of German democracy is one of the strangest chapters in history. German democracy marched to its grave with eyes wide open and singing, ‘Beware of Adolf Hitler.’ Democracy is temperate. Its foe is extremism.”
I was recently speaking with a frustrated U.S. congresswoman who told me that the bigwigs in the Democratic Party were promoting a policy of doing nothing in the face of Trump’s open war on democracy. She shared that the power brokers believed the Democrats would win by simply waiting for Trump to implode.
But what we have seen instead is the rapid disintegration of the rule of law in the United States. When it becomes okay to kidnap people off the streets, then it becomes okay to arrest judges at their courtrooms, and that opens the door to putting people in cages without trial.
This is the story of fascism. And you either stand up to fascists when they are still consolidating power, or you will end up in the cages yourself. In the case of Canada, our options are either resistance or accommodation.
At the diplomatic level, the risks of antagonizing Trump are clearKid rapist Trump is a coward, a stupid wiggly piggly ugly bullying con man convicted felon coward; when people stand up to him, he cowers and backs down (e.g. Chicago, Putin), but so are the risks of trying to accommodate the profoundly anti-democratic and thinly-veiled violence of a gangster regime.
This is what concerns me about the Roberts’ invitation. It signals either naivety or desperation. If Roberts was the one who blew off the meeting, it’s because he didn’t need to take the measure of the new government. The invitation alone gave him all he needed to know.
In writing this, I feel the need to state that I am rooting for Prime Minister Carney. Everyone knows that I am not a Liberal. I never will be. But he won the election by offering himself as a wartime prime minister.
We need him to be that war time prime minister now.Carney is a Harper coward, just like Trump. Carney won’t stand up to fascism. He is a fascist. I have zero faith in Carney or his quisling “liberal” Nazis. He’s made it clear, he’s sold us out.
Political storm clouds are gathering. Our nation is about to be put in the MAGA vice of disinformation, dirty politics and threat. As a banker, Carney is used to seeing issues from an economic lens. But this fight will be ultimately won or lost based on values and character.
Canadians understand there will be losses ahead. But they have been holding the line in the boycott and they have shown a determination to take the economic pressure and resist the intimidation from Washington.To my delight, Canadians have shown remarkable grit, courage, stamina and integrity. Carney has shown none.
These are strengths that we can build on.We must never trust Carney, he’s proven he is untrustworthy, even more untrustworthy than Steve Harper. We do not need Carney, he conned Canadians. We need to punt him, fast, before he destroys us. Even Pissy Panties Liar Pierre Poilievre would be less harmful than Carney’s fascist stunts (because Pee Pee does not hide his evil, Carney does), as vulgar as that would be for Canadians to tolerate and as humiliating as it would be for us to endure Pee Pee No Security Clearance as PM.
This is why the PM needs to bring his case to the people and tap into their determination to hold our ground.
We need to show men like Kevin Roberts that the Canadian people and government are not going to be worn down.
Canadians understand the nature of the struggle. But the window is closing on whether this generation of political leaders will learn the meaning of Fischer’s warning: that the temperate and reasonable cannot find common ground with extremism.
The PM used the term “elbows up” in the election – Canadians are not willing to put them down now.
This post is public – feel free to share it.
Renae Ritchie:
Somedays, PM Carney scares me. I don’t understand what he is doing.
John F Psutka:
Thank you again Charlie for highlighting the Kevin Roberts issue. This guy is an absolute Nazi gangster, an architect of Project 2025 and the MAGA group. PM Carney committed a major political blunder even thinking of inviting Roberts. All Canadians must express their anger and write PM Carney and their local MP, to express this anger and disagreement. This is not protecting Canadian values and “Elbows Up”. This is not protecting democracy. This is a demonstration of ” Being too smart for your own good”.
Trump has Canada in his sights. Trump is nestled so far up Putin’s colon, you couldn’t reach him with a colonoscope. The idea that Trump is looking for a Peace Deal with Putin in the Ukraine, is absolute garbage. Never will happen! Outright and overt Resistance must prevail, to encourage all our UK and Europe
Franca Garofalo:
Perhaps the mango Mussolini might not actually invade Canada, but every time foreign governments give in to his thugs in any way, it emboldens him and he convinces his sycophants that he is highly respected. As an American I urge all of you to keep up the fight.
Alda Bianco-Doino:
I’m grateful that you wrote about this proposed meeting and I’m also worried. I am very worried by a rally recently held at Brock’s Monument in Queenston Heights, by a group of masked, white supremacist-nationalist called the Second Sons.
Queenston Heights is the sight of a War of 1812 battle where British-Canadian and Native forces defeated a much larger invading US force. Major-General Isaac Brock died in the battle but the US forces never did establish a foothold across the Niagara River into Lower Canada. The park pays tribute to our resolve over US invaders.
These cowardly, masked, white, US wannabe, Trump loving fascist, doofuses staged a white-power rally similar to those in the USA; marching around, carrying flags, and chanting derogatory slogans about immigrants and minorities. Where did they come from and are the even really Canadians? I believe they did not have a permit or permission but were not punished in any way for abusing the park for this hateful rally. At the very least they should get a very heavy fine for breaking the law. This is a lovely, peaceful park, a source of pride that is enjoyed by everyone. Knowing that these guys have likely been subverted by US agitators makes me sick.
@rantingcanuck.bsky.social sept 14, 2025:
Canadian’s voted for a war time Prime Minister; we got Neville Chamberlain
Peter Kruczkiewicz:
I am completely unimpressed with Carney. I voted for him only because the alternative with PP was full on capitulation to and descent into fascism. But at this point I don’t see the difference. He’s gutting our institutions with massive cuts to federal agencies that would make Stephen Harper blush. He’s bending over backwards to accommodate Trump when he should be standing strong like the rest of Canadians. Mark, grow some damn elbows and fight for Canada.
Debra Sutherland:
Thank you for an excellent article! That said I sure don’t have any confidence in our Prime Minister – a consummate, connected capitalist insider – and especially as it pertains to his exorbitantly expensive and expansive plans for military spending. Please check out the excellent book, “The Spoils of War: Power, Profit and the American War Machine” – even Daniel Ellsberg said this book revolutionized his thinking! And please let’s not delude ourselves either that we actually enjoy a robust and healthy participatory democracy. To the extent we really ever had it, we lost those remnants to rampant neoliberalism decades ago…big money and the inevitable and concomitant corruption and concentrated power now completely run the show. Poet and author Anne Cameron once said, “If voting really made a difference, they would make it illegal.” Sadly this may indeed be true. And finally in closing, since in this article you so correctly refer us to the fascist era of Hitler may I add a Hitler quote “What good fortune for those in power that people do not think.” as quoted by Swiss psychoanalyst Alice Miller.
Barry G. Hall:
As an American I know that Canada is not a threat to my country. I also know that my country is surely a threat to Canada. Sadly, Carney is starting to sound like Neville Chamberlain. Mr. Carney, please do not try to appease Trump or his minions. Never trust Trump. He lies, breaks, commitments. Boycott US goods. Raise tarrifs on US products. Put an export tax on electricity to the US. NEVER back down to Trump threats.
Remember. Trump never follows through on threats that are met with strength and resistance.
Elbows up, fists up, and prepare a kick in the groin.
Robert Veale:
“Hitler was against intellect and humanity.” Just replace “Hitler” with “The orange blob.”
Tell Mark Carney that you want him to wake up and realize that an orange blob invasion of Canada is going to happen, and sooner than we think. He, the orange blob, knows he’s going to lose big time in the ’26 mid terms, if they actually happen, and he wants to take on Canada before that can happen. Tell Carney what you think and have everyone you know do the same. Our voices need to be heard en masse.
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John F Psutka:
Yes Robert you are absolutely correct.
Wanda Thompson:
I am a non partisan voter, but for the first time in my life, I joined a political party so I could vote for Carney as Liberal leader. And he is the best person for the job in this moment.
But when I read about the invite to Roberts – to a Cabinet meeting no less – I fired off a letter to the PM expressing my outrage. Nothing good could come of it. And it showed a disturbing lack of political strategy, while Canadians are agonizing over produce at the grocery store, he shouldn’t be inviting the enemy in to explain ‘how to fascist’. It is a plain for everyone to see every single minute in the news. I would like to know who came up with this bone headed idea, although just as bad that the PM and all of Cabinet thought it was a good idea.
Cristina Scattolin:
Why O Canada, why? I still don’t understand why Carney and his Cabinet would invite such an extremist & divisive person to speak to them. The “wanting to understand Trump’s agenda better” smells of gaslighting to me. If not gaslighting, then it is hugely naive, showing a total lack of real governing experience. Invite someone like Tim Snyder instead to figure out how to hold tight to Canada’s values and democracy, which is what Canada needs more at this time. Someone like Snyder can get into a fascist headspace and give some insight into how to make Canada stronger as a democracy.
Unbelievable.
I was worried about Carney for his almost entire expertise being in finance and economics and not having a solid hold on a social agenda. Let’s face it, there wasn’t much choice in the Liberal leadership race. People voted for Carney because of the Trump/ Poilievre threat. We don’t need the equivalent of a British Labour Party, the latter no longer being about the people but more and more has become the right wing flank of a liberal party. Maybe spend more time at home Mr Carney and less abroad where extreme right politics seems to be seeping into every party there. Let’s build up a stronger federal NDP.
Ken Smith:
Me, too. As a 74 year old proud Canadian, I cannot fathom any good reason to meet with this individual and his organization that is currently dismembering the US government and all social, educational and medical programs with a woodsman’s axe.
Claude Veziau:
Hello Charlie,
There is no use nor possibility to discuss with fascists, they see diplomacy as weakness.
It appears that history never teaches any good lessons, I was born in 1948 and even then there was a strongly fascistic tendency in Canada and even there was a lot of anti-semitism, I know because as a youth I used to listen to my friends and also many adults discredit Jews…
No the best policy with these fascists is simply to hold your ground and never concede not even an inch…
Have a good day my friend.
Ken Smith:
Claude, I agree, you will not succeed negotiating with fascists and bullies, and they will not hear anything you say.
We are not in a polite world any longer.
We need to be tough and resolute.
Russell McOrmond:
Canada’s “none is too many” policy on refugees from the Shoah hasn’t really changed.
Canada has remained a strongly Christian Zionist country, a policy from before 1931 when Canada was first allowed to have its own foreign policy. This Christian Zionism is in my mind clearly not for pro-Jewish reasons.
Being the alleged “winning” side of WW1 and WW2, the Anglosphere (UK+CANZUS=Canada Australia, New Zealand, United States) has never had a Truth and Reconcilliation process, and thus never really been forced to learn lessons or learn about its own position in history.
Darlene Eliza:
Couldn’t have written it better myself. It’s very important your message gets to Carney because, with a smile but emphatic wording, I would like Carney to tell the neighbours to F off.
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