This weekly TNT column in the White Rock Sun has few constraints put on it by Editor Dave Chesney other than to be focused on local issues. Because of this I usually shy away from topics you might find in the National Post newspaper and try to avoid stories about Ottawa and Washington DC like the plague. With White Rock perched along Boundary Bay and Surrey sharing the USA border with Washington State, I have decided it's time to delve into international politics for a change. The fact my given name is Donald also has something to do with this and how the American President is giving all us Donalds a bad reputation. I also don't want to ignore the elephant in the room that is the US tariffs, which go into effect this week one day late on April 2nd.
You have likely heard Donald Trump's claims that the US subsidizes Canada to the tune of two hundred billion dollars every year. This figure along with his misunderstanding of international trade and macroeconomics got me looking into cross-border trade between our two countries and who the winner and loser actually was. Most of the facts and figures I will be using come from Stats Canada (www.150.ststscan.gc.ca) and the US Trade Representative (USTR.gov) with figures rounded off for easier reading and comprehension. Besides looking at trade from a country to country perspective, I will also include population statistics to calculate what I like to call "total trade per person" or TTPP. Once you start looking at trade between countries on a per person basis, it clearly shows who is getting the gold mine and who gets the shaft.
In 2024 US/Canada trade in goods and services topped $1 trillion (Cdn funds) for the third year in a row. The US was the final destination for 76% of Canadian exports while Canada purchased 62% of our imports from the US. Energy exports accounted for $176 billion in trade from Canada to the US, with Canadians importing $39 billion in energy from the States. By the end of the year the trade imbalance was calculated to be $102 billion favouring Canada. If electricity, natural gas, gasoline and crude oil are taken out of the equation, then the trade imbalance switches across the border with the US then being in a dominant trade position by $35 billion.
Now we throw in the population numbers and how they reflect on trade. Canada has a population of 41 million while the US population is 341 million. This equates to 300 million more people or 8.2 times the population of Canada. The US imports $1,210 of Canadian goods and services per person while Canadians purchase $8,420 a year of products from the States. This means that Canadians spent seven times more on US imports than Americans did on goods from Canada. The difference is a whopping $7,210 more for every man woman and child who resides in the Great White North. To expect a trade balance between two countries with such a large difference in population is ludicrous. The shock was learning the large amount of money per person that Canadians pay for American goods and services per year.
Once I became aware of this discrepancy, I decided to crunch some numbers with other countries. The US and Mexico trade $840 billion a year with the US buying $506 billion of products from Mexico and Mexicans buying $334 billion of US goods, meaning a trade deficit for the States of $172 billion. The population of Mexico is 131 million or 38.5% of that of the 341 million people living in the US. For TTPP, Mexicans bought $2,550 in US goods while Americans bought $1,490 in goods, resulting in Mexicans purchasing $1,060 more per person than their neighbours. With Canada/China, total trade was $117 billion with a trade deficit of $58 billion for Canada. Once you factor in their huge population of 1.4 billion, the TTPP works out to $720 of Chinese products being bought by Canadians versus $20 of Canadian stuff being bought by each and every Chinese.
Where this total trade per person really gets interesting is when you look at the US/China numbers. These two world economies traded $583 billion of goods and services in 2024. China to US trade was $439 billion while US to China trade was $144 billion with a trade deficit for the US of $295 billion. The TTPP for China was $102 for US goods while the US TTPP for products from China was $4,219. This amounts to 41 times the spending by each and every American on Chinese goods than the small amount per person spent by Chinese folks on goods from America. It is interesting to realize that Canada, Mexico and China are the United States biggest trading partners, in that order. Not only is Canada America's most important trading partner, when you look at the TTPP, we spend far more money on American goods and services than either Mexico or China. It's time that "The Donald" realizes this and knows who his best customers really are.
Naturally yours,
Don Pitcairn
I wish to acknowledge we live, work and play on the traditional lands of the Semiahmoo People
Friends, family and fans of local artist ELIZABETH HOLLICK turned out in droves Friday evening to the White Rock Playhouse to pay tribute to ELIZABETH.
Hundreds of sketches, art books and paintings were given away, raffled off or auctioned off to those in attendance.
Last summer ELIZABETH suffered a stroke which has necessitated that she be moved to a care home. Elizabeth was in attendance and took a time to visit with each of the well wishers.
An unforgettable evening of art! Elizabeth Hollick had a stroke, and to make room to support her care she has decided she would like to give away 70 original paintings. Free!
As well, there will be a small number of paintings to purchase through an auction and 100 filled sketch books (also free!)
Elizabeth Hollick is known for her decades of community involvement, through murals including “The Wonderful Year We Fell In Love” outside the playhouse. She is also the founder of the Larger than Life drawing group, and was awarded the Order of White Rock for her service to the community. Her cheerfulness, humour and generous nature are beloved in White Rock.
It only seemed appropriate the event be held at THE PLAYHOUSE uptown that a number of years ago was adorned with a beautiful mural created by ELIZABETH.
...an they're off
Supporters of South Surrey/White Rock Liberal candidate ERNIE KLASSEN turned out yesterday afternoon at the Peace Arch to be a part of the official kick off for KLASSEN'S election campaign.
KLASSEN told the crowd he chose the Peace Arch as a symbol of one of the defining issues of this years election, Canada's sovereignty.
He related how his mother and family had fled the Ukraine in the 40's to come to this wonderful new world of Canada to build a life and a family.
March 29, 2025
You're The Answer
For months TRANSLINK has been trying to come up with a solution to their massive debt load and annual operating costs?
TransLink’s board Friday cam up with a solution by approving a 4% fare increase effective July 1, 2025.
Single-zone fares will rise by 15 cents to $3.35, two-zone fares by 20 cents to $4.85, and three-zone fares by 25 cents to $6.60.
The transit authority expects a $72 million shortfall this year and an annual $600 million deficit starting in 2026.
No Track for Amtrak
All but one Amtrak Cascades trains in the Pacific Northwest have been taken out of service, due to corrosion.
In the short-term, buses have been secured to transport passengers to their destinations through March 30.
Amtrak is determining how to replace the grounded trains by redistributing other trains in its national fleet.
The Pacific Northwest is set to be the first home for one of Amtrak’s next-generation trains starting in 2026.
The first set of what will eventually be 83 initial train sets rolling out nationwide are set to be deployed to the Amtrak Cascades route between Eugene, Oregon and Vancouver, B.C. Their manufacture schedule remains on track.
Surrey Police Service (SPS) is notifying the public of a number of distraction thefts that have occurred since January 1, 2025, in the City of Surrey.
Since the start of the year there have been several distraction thefts that have occurred in Surrey. While there are varied suspect and vehicle descriptions and locations throughout the city, officers with SPS and the RCMP Surrey Provincial Operations Support Unit (SPOSU) are actively investigating all these similar offence incidents.
Some common Modus Operandi (M.O.) include:
One or more persons approach a victim and advise them they need gas and convince the victim to provide them with money on the spot or to withdraw cash from their bank accounts.
One or more persons approach a victim and attempts to sell them gold jewelery or an iPhone. After the transaction, the victims discover that the gold is fake, and the phone does not function.
One or more persons approach a victim and during their interaction remove the victims’ jewelery and replace it with costume jewelery.
SPS is advising the public to be aware of their surroundings and to familiarize themselves with these current crime M.O.’s. If anyone notices suspicious persons or vehicles following them, they should contact SPS immediately. Finally, SPS is discouraging the public from purchasing any items from strangers who approach them in public or from non trusted sources.
March 28, 2025
Where There's A Fence - There's A Way
Surrey's fencing of BNSF land along Bayview St. continues and may be adding to railway trespassing.
Instead of folks walking to the end of Bayview St. and cutting directly across the tracks, they are now walking along the rail corridor from the McBride Ave. crossing.
All this $650,000 fence is doing is adding to the number of people on the railway. Just wait for when it's a warm and sunny weekend to see how busy it gets.
Surrey Langley SkyTrain Construction Update
Construction for the Green Timbers Station is starting! To safely build the station above Fraser Highway, a full road closure between 140 St and 96 Ave will be in effect from April 1 through October 2025.
What to expect:
Utility upgrades, roadwork & station foundation construction
Full closure of vehicle lanes, sidewalks & pathways
Primary alternate route: 96 Avenue via 148 Street
Intermittent Overnight Closures (8 p.m. – 5 a.m.) will also occur between 96 Ave & 148 St as needed. Traffic will be redirected via 148 St & 96 Ave.
Plan ahead & follow detour signs! Thank you for your patience.
We want to hear from you! Your input will inform the Corridor Study.
The City is conducting a Corridor Study to assess the long-term land use and density in Uptown (town centre and town centre transition designations) along North Bluff Road in consultation with Surrey’s approved Semiahmoo Town Centre Plan.
Attend the North Bluff Road Corridor Study Open House and learn about the project and help identify community values, priorities, and future needs.
Join us on Thursday, April 3, 2025 from 4 to 8 p.m. at the White Rock Community Centre, 15154 Russell Avenue, White Rock.
March 26, 2025
Then There Were Two
Tuesday ERNIE KLASSEN was acclaimed as the Liberal candidate for the White Rock/South Surrey riding.
KLASSEN will take on the sitting Conservative MP KERRY- LYNNE FINDLAY.
At press time there has not been an announcement of an NDP candidate or an Independent candidate in our riding.
I am beyond humbled, grateful, and excited to announce that I will be campaigning to be the next member of Parliament for South Surrey/White Rock.
With the help of an amazing team, family, friends, colleagues, acquaintances and residents within my riding, please get out and vote on April 28!
Former premier CHRISTY CLARK had hoped to parachute into the riding.
Don't Fence Me In or is it Out?
The fencing has begun along Bayview St. in Crescent Beach with heavy concrete no-post curbing and an industrial chain link fence that stands 7' tall.
Because of the unexpected costs for 215 concrete blocks, mounting brackets and base prep, which total an estimated $150,000, Maple St. will not be fenced off. the new installation will remove over 100 free sparking spots and quick and easy access to the beach area south of Beecher Street.
RON BRAR the owner of the Surrey Eagles is joined by his wife this past weekend as the Eagles celebrated Family Day at the South Surrey Arena.
The BRARS currently have two sons on the active roster of the Surrey Eagles.
Our BCHL Surrey Eagles find out this weekend who they will meet in the BCHL 2025 playoffs.
The EAGLES are the defending BCHL champs and it looks right now they will either meet the Coquitlam Express or the Langley Rivermen in the first round of the playoffs.
March 24, 2025
Train Incident Crescent Beach
At approximately 11:52 p.m. CST Sunday, a train struck an individual at a crossing on our New Westminster Subdivision. There were no injuries to the crew. The individual was taken to a local hospital with unknown injuries. The crossing is equipped with cross-bucks, gates, lights and bells.
BNSF Media
A man in a wheelchair was struck by a slow-moving train shortly before 10 pm Sunday night near Bayview St and Beecher St.
He reportedly sustained what was believed to be minor injuries but was taken to hospital for further evaluation. Early indications are that it appears the man did not know the train was coming when he was struck despite the barricades being down and the warning sirens/whistles going.
BNSF Police attended and the investigation has been transferred to them. There will be no further investigation by SPS Surrey Police Services.
City of Surrey convenes Special Closed Council Meeting to address misleading statements made by Councillors Bose, Annis and Elford and to protect staff
The City of Surrey held a Special Closed Council meeting on Friday March 21 that addressed recent public statements made by Councillor Bose—supported by Councillor Annis—concerning the City’s engagement of Hunden Strategic Partners Inc. and allegations regarding staff conduct. The meeting also addressed concerns arising from comments made by Councillor Elford about the City’s handling of his request for City employee salaries.
“Let me be absolutely clear: Hunden was hired in 2024 well before the current U.S. tariff environment, and all contractual arrangements have been conducted lawfully,” said Mayor Brenda Locke. “Any suggestion by Councillors Bose and Annis that our professional staff acted improperly by directing information requests through the Freedom of Information (FOI) process is unfounded. This includes misleading information provided to the media by Councillor Elford that staff should have simply handed him information regarding the salaries of 2 staff members, implying that staff were obstructing him due to his position. This is patently false and grossly misrepresents the duties and obligations of our employees under FIPPA. In all cases, City staff were, in fact, fulfilling their obligations under provisions of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA).”
During the March 21 meeting, Mayor Locke reaffirmed Council’s commitment to lawful governance, transparency, and the protection of City staff from partisan misrepresentation. Mayor Locke also addressed the disclosure of confidential Closed Council information by Councillors Bose and Annis, underscoring that they knew—or should have known—such disclosures are not permitted under the Community Charter, the Council Code of Conduct, and FIPPA.
“Any Councillor who deliberately drags our dedicated staff into partisan agendas will be called to account for misrepresenting the facts,” Mayor Locke added. “These actions erode trust and hinder the effective governance our residents expect and deserve.”
Council passed four key resolutions to ensure accountability, correct misinformation, and preserve public confidence:
Disclosure of Hunden Engagement Information
Council directed staff—subject to FIPPA and any other relevant considerations—to publicly disclose a summary of information related to the engagement of Hunden Strategic Partners Inc. This summary will include terms and conditions of the contracts, background information, previous Closed Council decisions, and any authorized and actual expenditures.
Disclosure of Legal Opinion
Council directed staff to disclose the City Manager’s confidential memo dated March 20, 2025, including an independent legal opinion from Don Lidstone, K.C., regarding Council Members’ access to municipal records.
Investigation into Councillor Conduct
Council initiated an external investigation into whether Councillor Bose and Councillor Annis breached City bylaws or policies by publicly disclosing Closed Council information, and whether Councillors Bose, Annis, and Elford made inappropriate comments about staff’s FOI directives in possible contravention of the City’s Respectful Workplace Policy.
Public Disclosure of Resolutions
Council directed staff to publicly release the above resolutions in the interest of openness and transparency.
“Our priority is to provide clear information to Surrey residents and to protect the integrity of our democratic processes,” said Mayor Locke. “We will always stand up for our staff when they carry out their lawful duties and for the public when they deserve to know the facts.”
Two separate documents have been posted to the City’s website here under Information Released from Closed Meetings:
For further details and updates, the City will make additional information publicly available as it becomes ready for disclosure under applicable legislation.
If you need a dose of cuteness this beautiful fawn should fill your heart with joy and bring a smile to your face.
The newborn deer was filmed by Steve Fagan at Departure Bay Beach in British Columbia.
If you ever find a baby deer alone while hiking please leave it alone as the mother will leave the fawn in a safe place while foraging for food.
Joke Of The Day
One day little Johnny went up to his kindergarten teacher and told her that he had found a frog. The teacher asked the little boy if the frog was alive or dead. He said that the poor helpless frog was dead. The teacher was wondering how the boy knew for sure that the frog was dead.
The boy said, "I p*ssed in its ear."
The teacher screamed, "You WHAT?"
He said, "You know, I went to his ear and said, 'PSST!' and it didn't move...So it must be dead."
FRED PARTRIDGE and "The Dame"
Utility upgrades, roadwork & station foundation construction
Intermittent Overnight Closures (8 p.m. – 5 a.m.) will also occur between 96 Ave & 148 St as needed. Traffic will be redirected via 148 St & 96 Ave.
Plan ahead & follow detour signs! Thank you for your patience.
