Premiers, or foreign ministers?

Canada’s provincial premiers, usually jealous guardians of their own jurisdictions, have nonetheless stepped into the national leadership vacuum in Ottawa by inserting themselves into foreign affairs as the country faces down the impending U.S. presidency of Donald Trump.The unique challenge of Mr. Trump, who has threatened economically devastating 25-per-cent tariffs on all Canadian goods and even the use of “economic force” to annex his northern neighbour, follows months of rudderless leadership at the federal level that culminated this week with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s announcement he is stepping down.