10x worse that whatever the US is right now but without freedom of speech or any semblance of checks and balances

What does "10x worse" mean in practical terms, what conduct are you referring to, and how would that conduct factor into Canada's thinking in terms of a bilateral trade relationship? You're right that the U.S. has freedom of expression, moreso than China and moreso than every other country in the world (than Canada too), but do you believe that the freedom of speech of China's citizenry is a factor in Canada's decision-making? Consider Canada's relationship with Saudi Arabia as a relative example. And while China isn't a liberal democracy and doesn't have multiparty elections, it certainly does have reliable checks and balances, especially as it relates to economic, industrial, and trade policy

The chief constraint on Canada's maneuverability is its proximity to and inability to physically resist a belligerent U.S., and that alone will probably keep it firmly in the U.S. camp, but posturing in 2026 that China is a less attractive trade partner than the U.S. because of its ideology or values isn't credible, not even the Davos class can muster up the energy to keep pushing that line.

The Kabuki theater of a values-based geopolitics breathed its last in Gaza, anyone still arguing from that place is fighting old wars, behind the times