The Map That Says Everything by Saying Nothing
Mar 16, 2025
Pierre Poilievre’s latest TwitterX graphic is pure patriotic chest-thumping at first glance. A bold, simple statement: Canada has resources. We are powerful. We are rich. It’s the kind of thing that makes people nod along, feeling a surge of national pride.
But to me, the real story wasn’t in what it said. It was in what it didn’t say.
Nowhere in this map does Ontario’s industrial base get a mention. No talk of auto, no mention of manufacturing strength, no recognition of the economic heart of the country…the Windsor-Toronto corridor. Just a big, sweeping emphasis on oil, gas, minerals, and agriculture.
This isn’t an accident.
Losing the Auto War
For months, Trump has made it clear: Canada’s auto sector is in the crosshairs. A 25% tariff looms, and Ontario’s biggest economic driver…the very thing that made cities like Windsor, Oakville, and even parts of Toronto thrive…is on the chopping block.
The response? Silence.
Instead of fighting to save it, the narrative is shifting. The federal government, normally quick to make bold statements, hasn’t put up much resistance. Even Poilievre, who loves to slam Trudeau for economic mismanagement, hasn’t made Ontario’s manufacturing crisis a core talking point.
Why?
Because they know they already lost.
The war is over before a single shot was fired.
The tariffs are happening, the economic damage will be severe, and instead of rallying around Ontario’s auto industry, the focus is now elsewhere.
What Happens When You Change the Narrative?
If you’re trying to position Canada for a new economic reality, what’s the smartest move?
You start redefining what’s valuable.
Poilievre’s map does exactly that. It screams:
-Canada’s strength is in oil, gas, and resources
-Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Northern Canada are the future economic powerhouses
-Ontario and Quebec? … Well, look at all the resources above them.
The shift is subtle but powerful.
Ontario is no longer being positioned as the economic engine of the country. Instead, it’s being primed for something else entirely.
What happens when the industrial core becomes a burden instead of an asset?
The Overton Window is Moving
For anyone unfamiliar, the Overton Window is the range of ideas that are politically acceptable at any given time. If you want to make something that seems extreme today feel normal tomorrow, you gradually shift the conversation.
Instead of saying, “We’re going to abandon Ontario’s auto sector,” you simply stop talking about it.
Instead of saying, “Maybe Ontario isn’t worth fighting for,” you emphasize everything else.
Instead of announcing, “We’re cutting Ontario loose,” you let them arrive at the idea themselves.
By shifting the national conversation toward resources, the groundwork is being laid for a radical but increasingly inevitable-sounding conclusion:
If Ontario collapses under auto tariffs, maybe the best move is to let it go.
And here’s where things get even more interesting…
A "Special Status" Southern Ontario Region?
If the economic pressure gets bad enough, what happens next? Maybe Trump swoops in with a "rescue package"...one that offers a lifeline to the most devastated parts of Ontario (south of the 49th), but with conditions.
Maybe there’s a special status for Windsor, Toronto, and the surrounding areas…something that keeps them economically tied to the U.S. instead of Canada. Not quite annexation, but something like what Puerto Rico has…a halfway measure that benefits both sides without a full takeover.
Would people accept that?
Right now, F no.
But six months into economic collapse? A year of spiraling job losses? When the government starts slashing services to compensate?
Suddenly, the idea of a vote…a choice…between staying in Canada or moving toward U.S. economic integration doesn’t seem so far-fetched.
And that’s exactly how you move the Overton Window.
The Play is Already in Motion
You don’t need grand conspiracy theories to see what’s happening. You just need to look at the chessboard.
- Trump has already drawn a “straight line” across the 49th parallel in speeches.
- His administration has thrown out the 1908 treaty as “outdated” and “unfair” to U.S. industry.
- The UAW has already backed the tariffs, meaning American labor won’t fight to save Canadian jobs.
- Carney…the new Liberal leader…just axed the carbon tax, a major shift that aligns with U.S. policy, not Canada’s traditional stance.
Things aren’t always what they seem. But you don’t need X-ray vision to see what’s forming under the surface
The question isn’t whether Ontario is in danger.
The question is: Who benefits from letting it fail?
