川普“解放日”关税阴影下， 我如何行使投票权？（观点，中英对照）

自从川普于2017年上任以来，加拿大消费者就一直在应对其激进贸易政策带来的威胁。从撕毁北美自由贸易协定（NAFTA），到对钢铁和铝产品加征关税等一系列举措令加拿大制造商措手不及，多年来事实已经一再证明：即使是紧密相连的北部邻国，加拿大也从未真正脱离美国贸易保护主义的攻击。

Ever since Donald Trump took office in 2017, Canadian consumers have been grappling with the fallout from his aggressive trade policies. From threats to tear up NAFTA to the steel and aluminum tariffs that blindsided Canadian manufacturers, it’s been clear for years that even north of the border, we are never far from the crosshairs of U.S. protectionism.

如今，随着川普最新一轮大规模关税措施的出台，即拿大不得不面临又一轮经济冲击。这些关税或许表面上是针对中国及其他贸易伙伴而来，但它们在现实生活中的影响早已突破了美国国境。作为一名加拿大消费者，我感受到的不仅是对外国商品征税带来的直接影响，我还在为那些通过美国批发商分销的产品间接承担由美国加征的关税，即使这些商品符合《美墨加协定》（USMCA），本应不受关税影响。

Now, with Trump’s latest sweeping tariffs, we’re bracing for another round of economic pain. These measures may be aimed at China and other trading partners, but their real-world impact reaches far beyond U.S. borders. As a Canadian consumer, I’m not just feeling the effects of tariffs on foreign goods — I’m also indirectly paying for U.S.-imposed tariffs on products distributed through American wholesalers, even when those goods comply with the USMCA and are not subject to tariffs when traded within North America.

但关税给我们带来的影响，远比表面上看起来严重得多。作为加拿大消费者，我们也在为加方对美国产品征收的报复性关税买单——这种隐藏的成本悄然融入了橙汁、枫糖浆、卫生纸以及钢铁和铝制品的价格中。但更糟的是，关税的存在并不总是以醒目的标题或显眼的标签呈现出来。它们往往隐藏在分销合同、运输路径和定价公式的细节之中。看似“正常”的通货膨胀，其实常常是不在我们掌控范围内的，紧张的地缘政治局势带来的隐性附加关税在作祟。

We are far more affected than meets the eye. As Canadian consumers, we also pay the price of Canadian retaliatory tariffs on U.S.-made goods — a hidden cost quietly embedded in the price of orange juice, maple syrup, toilet paper, and steel and aluminum products. But worse yet, tariffs don’t always appear in bold headlines or on big red stickers. They’re buried in the fine print of distribution contracts, shipping routes, and pricing formulas. What looks like “regular inflation” is often a hidden surcharge driven by geopolitical tensions far beyond our control.

这是因为我们购买的许多商品,从空气炸锅到学生文具,都是通过美国的供应链采购的，尤其是那些全球品牌和中型零售商所销售的产品。即使这些商品本身在加拿大并未被直接征收关税，但只要它们曾经过境美国并受到美方贸易关税的影响，其增加的成本往往会层层转嫁，最终反映在加拿大市场的零售价格上。

That’s because much of what we buy — from air fryers to school supplies — is sourced through U.S.-based supply chains, especially for global brands and mid-sized retailers. Even when the products themselves aren’t directly subject to tariffs in Canada, if they’ve passed through the U.S. and were hit by American trade measures, the additional cost is often passed along and ends up on Canadian shelves.

以家用电器为例。自2018年美国对洗衣机加征关税以来，整个北美地区的洗衣机价格上涨了近100美元。许多需要更换洗衣机的家庭往往选择推迟购买——并不是因为市面上没有更好的型号，而是因为价格的上涨迫使他们重新评估家庭预算。隐藏的成本不仅仅是更高的标价，还有因继续使用老旧机器所带来的诸多不便、造成的额外麻烦与耗费的时间，而这些机器原本早该被淘汰更换。

Take appliances, for example. After the 2018 U.S. tariffs on washing machines, prices across North America rose by nearly $100. Families that needed a new unit often delayed their purchase — not because better models weren’t available, but because the cost increase forced them to reassess their budgets. The hidden cost wasn’t just the higher sticker price — it was the inconvenience, stress, and time spent dealing with an aging machine that should’ve been replaced.

正如经济学家贾斯廷·沃尔夫斯（Justin Wolfers）最近指出的那样，关税迫使我们做出原本不会做出的选择，而这种选择会造成常常被忽视的额外支出。无论是不得不接受品质较低的替代品，放弃某些原本常买的食物，还是花费更多时间货比三家，这些看似微小的牺牲和负担日积月累，都在悄然侵蚀着我们的生活质量。

Tariffs, as economist Justin Wolfers recently pointed out, force us into decisions we wouldn’t otherwise make — and that’s a cost we often overlook. Whether it’s settling for lower-quality substitutes, forgoing certain foods, or spending more time comparison shopping, the cumulative burden quietly erodes our standard of living.

而最令人刺痛的是：我从未为这些关税投过票，但却不得不为它们买单。这就是生活在超级大国邻国的现实，超级大国的经济决策往往会跨越国界，波及他人。但在加拿大，我则拥有投票权。在即将到来的联邦大选中，我将仔细考量哪位领导人拥有足够的远见和战略，能够在川普引发的下一轮经济冲击中，能有效地加国经济。

And here’s what stings the most: I never voted for these tariffs, but I still pay for them. That’s the reality of living next to a superpower whose economic decisions spill across borders. But in Canada, I do get to vote. And in the upcoming federal election, I’ll be watching closely to see which leader has the foresight and strategy to protect Canadians from another round of Trump-induced economic shockwaves.

我们无法阻止美国的贸易战，但我们可以选出有能力的领导人，为加拿大人抵御其带来的后果，并将关税风险视为国家经济威胁，而不仅仅将其视为外交政策中的一个附属议题的领导人。

We can’t stop America’s trade wars. But we can elect leaders who are prepared to shield Canadians from their consequences — leaders who treat tariff exposure as a national economic threat, not just a line item in foreign policy.

下一轮关税也许并非直接针对我们，但毫无疑问，我们将是其最终受害者。

The next round of tariffs may not be aimed at us. But make no mistake — they’ll still hit home.