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WASHINGTON, D.C. — War can be hell, even a trade war.

The blows aimed at Canada from south of the border have come fast and furious lately, with the U.S. slapping hefty tariffs on exports ranging from steel to newsprint, demanding to rip up NAFTA and even offering nasty words for the prime minister.

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Amid the attacks and reprisals, there is some solace for Canada: a substantial chunk of the Washington, D.C. political class that has, in effect, taken this country’s side in various trade skirmishes. As the White House fires salvos at Canada, some lawmakers, even members of President Donald Trump’s Republican party, have acted almost like a wartime fifth column within the Washington beltway.

The question now is whether even they will have have any impact on the president’s agenda.

On Wednesday, senators voted 88-11 in favour of a non-binding motion that calls for Congress to have a greater say in the administration’s use of “national-security” tariffs, like those on steel and aluminum.