Dear Urban Diplomat: My friend shamed me for buying US products. Then I caught him pouring Jack Daniel’s into a Wiser’s bottle

Dear Urban Diplomat, In an effort to stick it to America’s belligerent orange despot, I’ve been buying Canadian-made products at the grocery store and mall, but I can’t quite bring myself to give up Netflix, and my friend has been sanctimoniously criticizing me for it. Meanwhile, I recently caught him pouring Kentucky bourbon into a Wiser’s bottle. My question is two-fold: How much should I let global politics contort my life? And should I call my friend out on his hypocrisy? —Patriot Games, Islington

No one should twist their habits into a pretzel to meet someone else’s arbitrary standards. If you want to buy Canadian, do what you can to support the cause. If your friend continues to police your choices, you have my blessing to snap back. Beyond that, try not to let tariffs mess with your mental health.

Related: One woman’s week of buying Canadian

Dear Urban Diplomat, With tax season coming up, I was helping my daughter—a freelance photographer in her 20s—with her return when she happened to mention that her live-in boyfriend of almost a year has never filed one. This guy is almost 30! I told her that paying taxes is like going to the dentist: if you don’t keep up with it, it will come back to make you miserable. It’s a huge red flag, but she doesn’t seem to care. Things then escalated. She stormed out, and now she won’t speak to me. How can I help her see the risks without jeopardizing our relationship? —Tax Master, Bloor West Village

Be grateful your daughter trusts you enough to let you scrutinize her finances—and to spill her boyfriend’s delinquency. An accounting session with Mom or Dad is nobody’s idea of a good time. While it’s natural to see her beau as a scofflaw, it’s more useful to park those feelings. Financial literacy is a hard-won skill that often isn’t taught in school. I suggest offering to help him sort it out. Should he refuse, move on with your life. Someday, the CRA will come knocking, but it will be at his door, not yours.

Related: Dear Urban Diplomat—My friends rented a cybertruck for our cross-country road trip

Dear Urban Diplomat, My co-workers kicked me off their weekly bar trivia team, and I think it’s unfair. While it’s true that I suck at trivia, I’d argue that they take it way too seriously. This ridiculous night is the only off-site team-building we do. Why should I miss out on an opportunity to network just because I can’t be bothered to memorize a bunch of useless pop culture references? I want to take it to management. Is that a step too far? —Trivial Pursuit, Church-Wellesley

Would you want to play rec softball with someone who despises sports? Or sing karaoke with someone who only listens to classical music? I’m willing to bet that your co-workers can sense your boredom and contempt, which is a buzzkill. If you really want to be part of the team, create a junior varsity squad full of like-minded fun-first trivia amateurs and grab a table next to your former squad. That way you get all the benefits of socializing without all the stress that comes with being a hard-core egghead.

Dear Urban Diplomat, My partner and I have been waiting for our pre-construction condo for what feels like decades. Our unit is finished, but the common areas have no lights and the noise from the ongoing work is brutal. So I agreed to move in with his parents temporarily—and it’s driving me nuts. We’re in our 30s, but they treat us like teenagers. They always ask when we’re coming home. His mom makes comments about my outfits. Last night, I saw his dad counting the wine bottles in our recycling bin. I feel stuck. What can I do to slink out of this situation? —Mom and Pop Flop, Avondale

If you’re not prepared to live in a construction zone, you’ll just have to suck it up. In the meantime, strategize to change your in-laws’ mindset. Show them that you’re contributing partners in the household. Offer to pony up a little rent money, if you can swing it, and step up with chores, household errands and meals. They’re probably treating you like clueless teenagers because the last time your partner lived under their roof, he was one.

Send your questions to the Urban Diplomat at urbandiplomat@torontolife.com