A person wearing a mask of President Donald Trump poses for a photo in front of a Canadian flag to show support for Canada regarding trade tariffs, in front of the White House on March 13, 2025. © AP
_Jeff Mahon is a former deputy director of the greater China division at Global Affairs Canada, the country's foreign ministry. He now works at advisory company StrategyCorp._
Canada has figured prominently in U.S. President Donald Trump's opening salvos against the status quo. In the barrage of executive orders and seemingly never-ending economic attacks against Canada, its leaders have seemed at times flat-footed and confused.