Trump’s toxic reach stops cold at the Canadian border [Video]

This trade war with Canada is not the first. Forty-five years ago, Maine potato farmers piled rotten potatoes at their state’s borders with New Brunswick. Blocking nine crossings, the Mainers accused Canada of unfairly subsidizing its potato growers, thus driving down the prices they could get.

The Maine potato industry had problems other than Canada, namely poor soil management and competition from a place called Idaho. To the growers’ great hurt, lobster joints in the tourist meccas along the Atlantic Coast were posting signs that read, “Maine lobsters, Idaho potatoes.” They seemed unaware that their own state was a major producer of spuds.

The potato war ended up more a skirmish than a war. Nevertheless, 200 state troopers in riot gear were posted at the border crossings to prevent violence. One group of farmers burned the Canadian flag.

But little personal hatred was involved. A reporter from the Canadian Broadcasting …