[LINK] "World's free trading nations could rally against Trump protectionism"
CBC News' Don Pittis warns that in a scenario where Donald Trump is likely to turn on Canada, Canada in turn must look to various partners and allies outside of North America in order to defend its interests.
The new anti-free-trade administration of Donald Trump hasn't even taken over the White House and it appears incoming secretary of commerce Wilbur Ross is already preparing to send Canada a list of demands.
"NAFTA is logically the first thing for us to deal with," Ross said yesterday when asked about his trade warning. "We ought to solidify relationships in the best way we can in our own territory before we go off to other jurisdictions."
Besides the neo-imperialist reference to Canada and Mexico as "our own territory," there is another reason to be wary.
It sounds as if the U.S. plan is a variation on the classic strategy of divide and conquer.
Only after sticking it to their "own territory" - in other words our territory - will the U.S. go on to make demands of more distant trade partners in Asia and Europe.
That might require Canada to step up and defend itself, including by looking for support from its free trading allies.
The new anti-free-trade administration of Donald Trump hasn't even taken over the White House and it appears incoming secretary of commerce Wilbur Ross is already preparing to send Canada a list of demands.
"NAFTA is logically the first thing for us to deal with," Ross said yesterday when asked about his trade warning. "We ought to solidify relationships in the best way we can in our own territory before we go off to other jurisdictions."
Besides the neo-imperialist reference to Canada and Mexico as "our own territory," there is another reason to be wary.
It sounds as if the U.S. plan is a variation on the classic strategy of divide and conquer.
Only after sticking it to their "own territory" - in other words our territory - will the U.S. go on to make demands of more distant trade partners in Asia and Europe.
That might require Canada to step up and defend itself, including by looking for support from its free trading allies.