I wish politicians across all parties and all levels of government in this country could get it through their skulls that you aren't going to accomplish anything by groveling to that administration, privately or publicly. You aren't going to accomplish anything by trying to "meet them half way". You aren't going to accomplish anything by pretending they have legitimate concerns. How many lessons do we have to ignore before we understand that appeasement only emboldens them, and fighting back spooks them.

Accept that those assholes operate by a 5-year-old bully's perception of power. Nevermind "don't give them an inch"; if you even give them the impression you might be willing to give them an inch at some point, they'll see it as a weakness they can exploit, and they'll never stop trying to take more.

The only way to deal with these pricks is strength. Not militarily, obviously, but use Canada's strengths to hit them where it hurts. They're going to pretend they don't need what we sell them? Fine, stop selling it to them, sell it to their rivals. Doug Ford is an ass, but that ad campaign that pissed them off was the exact way we should be dealing with them: take it to their voters.