If there was any doubt that Donald Trump might not make good on threats to impose punishing tariffs on foreign goods, those doubts were erased today during Trump’s inaugural speech.

The President used his executive power to declare a number of emergencies to impose sweeping new powers, including a National Emergency at the US southern border with Mexico that will allow the US to deport millions of illegal immigrants, and a National Energy Emergency, reversing green initiatives introduced during the Biden administration and revoking the Electric Vehicle deal.

Most troubling to Canadians is what Trump calls an “overhaul of the trade system to protect American workers and their families.”

“Instead of taxing our citizens to enrich other countries, we will tariff and tax foreign countries to enrich our citizens.”

He also announced the creation of an External Revenue Service to impose and collect those taxes and tariffs on foreign goods.

He also announced a return to “free expression,” bringing “law and order back” to American cities, and vowed to end government policies that he says are meant to social engineer race and gender into “every aspect of public life.”

“We will forge a society that is colour-blind and merit based,” Trump declared, “As of today, it will henceforth be the official policy of the United States Government that there are only two genders, male and female.”