The USM_A, is the result of our public “servants”

Under most circumstances, I’m an optimist. My friends say I could be up to my neck in s**t and say, “my goodness, what a beautiful blue sky”. Before the election, I told all the clients who asked me about the future of trucking in Canada, and I said that things will get better. Starting with Alberta oil, the economy should reflect a much more positive future. I did not believe that Canada would return another Liberal government, or that they would continue to strangle our natural resources (as Trudeau did). Well, I was wrong again. Something I seem to be getting rather good at.

However, I remained optimistic on the impact that Carney may have on our natural resources and his ability to negotiate with Trump. Unfortunately, step by step and blunder by blunder, the doors keep slamming shut on Carney… or Carney himself is closing doors. Forecasting is extremely difficult… especially about the future (Yogi Berra).

Given the very soft response by Trump toward Canada, my optimistic demeanour is now suspect. For clarification, I’m not placing all the blame on Carney… I think Ford’s belligerent attitude of BOTH elbows and knee thrusts has kneecapped us in the middle of a marathon. Gaining personal political points at the expense of National interests is (at least in my opinion) a narcissistic dereliction of duty. Some ‘public servants’ are more ‘self-serving’ than public-serving. Consequently, I am increasingly convinced the USMCA will end up being… USM_A.

Unfortunately, I think we are stuck with what we are stuck with. Our politicians have led us to a very dry desert, and I don’t see any rain in the forecast. Hauling water around this country is very expensive, especially if the philosophy of the government is that THEY are in charge of all water distribution.

Oh, what a ‘Debbie Downer’ I am (sorry to all the Debbies out there).

I do think it could be a lot worse. We could still have Trudeau, who, I’m convinced, would have quickly driven us over a cliff, with much fanfare, while wearing beautiful socks and sporting perfectly groomed hair. But now, of course, his hair is left in the hands of Katy Perry.

See? I got my optimism back.

There is a hope for Canada in the tariff department… the US Supreme Court MAY deem the tariffs unconstitutional. I’m not holding my breath for anything, but it is a possibility, at least according to the internet, which of course, ALWAYS tells the truth. It would be most wise to wait for the rulings and appeals before commenting on anything.

However, the Civil War raging in the US is being fought out through the court systems and the last few fibres of the traditional media. To retain one’s mental health, we should all walk a wide berth around the hornets’ nest of media until the Supreme Court has the final say. It’s a little like having your best friend go through a nasty divorce… just back away nodding in support until the papers are signed and the dust has settled (which usually doesn’t occur but for this metaphor I suggest this idea). The split in US ideology is so vast that, for many, I don’t even think the Supreme Court will be able to settle things. Without divine intervention, the USA may be destined for continual long-term strife and animosity. How depressing!

It could be worse. It could be 1864 or 1865, where hundreds of thousands used REAL bullets aimed at hundreds of thousands. Oh look… I got my optimism back.

My advice is: keep your head down, stop listening to traditional media, find great independent podcasts, live within your means and be nice to your neighbours. Almost everything we see in the news is beyond our control.

What we ARE in control of is our day-to-day actions and reactions. Build your career in trucking with merit as its foundation. Bring value to those you serve, and when you do that long enough, eventually your behaviour will build a quality of life that you DESERVE.

BTW… the origin of the word DESERVE is the Old French word deservir and Latin word deservire, meaning “serve well”. Deserve means “to merit or be worthy of” due to qualities and actions. We ‘deserve’ our circumstances and its results based on how well we have ‘served’ others… even in times of war. It’s not perfect but it has a better chance of success than the USMCA.

About the Author:

Robert D. Scheper is a leading Accountant and Consultant exclusively serving the Lease/Owner operator industry in Canada. His first book in the Making Your Miles Count series “taxes, taxes, taxes” was released in 2007. His second book “Choosing a Trucking company” is the most in-depth analysis of the independent operator industry today. He has a Master’s degree (MBA) in financial management and has been serving the industry since he and his wife came off the road in 1993. His dedication, commitment and strong opinions can be read and heard in many articles and seminars.

You can find him at www.makingyourmilescount.com or 1-877-987-9787.