Canadian Prime Minister, Mark Carney, has stated that our previous relationship with the United States, is over, as in, dead.
Canada is on a mission to break down trade barriers within Canada, and to develop free-trade with its allies and trading partners, new and old, in the U.K, E.U., Japan, Korea and China.
America is intent of reshoring as much manufacturing to America as possible, regardless of whether it is legal or negatively impacts its former allies and trade partners.
In the end, some companies may well move to the U.S. simply due to economy of scale and to avoid tariffs. If they do, their products should be embargoed in Canada.
However, such relocations will likely be few for purely economic reasons.
Simply producing anything in the U.S. will be substantively more expensive than it is to produce the same product in Canada, which may well make the transition an expensive exercise in futility.
The difference in the dollar, plus the difference in payroll costs alone should mitigate moving to the U.S.
Labour costs, materiale costs, building new or shipping manufacturing machines and equipment is not without substantive expense.
For many manufacturers the addtional costs associated with reshoring and the production and labour costs would make such a move, unfeasible.
Be that as it may, at some point the transition now in effect, including tariffs, will result in market realignments, new trade organizations and new agreements by Canada, exclusive of the United States.
This will likely include fossil fuels, oil and gas, energy sales, metals, steel and aluminium, potash, rare earth minerals, etc., etc.
If Canada is successful in developing new markets for the vast majority of its products, the government should then consider further measures to isolate the United States from Canada and make Canada immune to American economic pressure.
Hardening the Border – Not Just from Drugs and Immigration, but from American Influence
Once Canada reaches a position whereby its trade relations is secure, independent of the United States, Canada should make travel to Canada from the United States, much more difficult. Access should require visas of determinate length, required submission 6 weeks in advance of any visitation from the United States.
While physically hardening the border over a 5500 miles expanse is irrational, for Canadians attracting an increasing number of tourists from Europe and the Orient should be a concerted objective.
As America seeks isolationism, and protectionism, Canadians who are already curtailing travel and purchases of American goods, should go so far as to embargo American travel.
Canada should simplify immigration to Canada by removing bureaucratic impediments to quick entry into Canada for those with skills and education.
While Trump is in the process of destroying scientific inquiry, and advanced education, in addition to health and safety, and environmental oversight, Canada should offer those interested in relocation an incentive to do so, by expediting the process.
Canada’s military should be greatly enhanced, both in terms of its size and capability. Sovereignty protection in the Arctic and for Canadian territorial waters should be expedited as well as procurement processes and enrolment in the Canadian Armed Forces.
Adding to the value chain of Canada’s minerals, fuels, commodities, etc., should be a Canadian focus. Building new refining capacity in Canada and developing manufacturing of finished products, such as Canadian military equipment for domestic use as well as export must occur. Canada should develop new munition (CBC Global Ammunition and Arsenal Jsco.) as well as missile capacity to bolster Canada’s military capacity and stockpile munitions for NATO and Canada, in Canada.
Canadian aircraft, ships and submarines should only use advanced technologies exclusive of the U.S.
Canada should create agreements with European and Asian weapons manufacturers such as Rheinmetall, Dassault, ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to build submarines, ships, tanks and IFV’s in Canada.
Canada needs to be at arm’s length from America, particularly when it comes to National Defence. Canada should seek to enhance Canada’s Armed Forces to a point where it requires no assistance from the United States.
To do so will require sacrifice by Canadians in the form of tax dollars dedicated to protecting Canadian sovereignty. This will include new military bases capable of year round operation for land, air and sea assets within the Arctic Circle.
Military expenditures of 3.5% of GDP are to be expected in the future.
Canada is entering the most dangerous period in its history.
Our national defence needs to reflect that reality.
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