TRADE TALKS

I don’t typically get over-involved in politics with this blog. Yet, these days, it’s hard to avoid.
So, I’ll just say that if I was a Canadian “Snow Bird”, hanging out in Florida for the winter, I’d be out of there and back home by now. And in doing so, I surely do not wish American businesspeople badly in that state. But it’s the incredibly foolish actions of the guy in the White House who is taking what has been a marvelous, friendly history between Canada and the U.S. and throwing it down the drain. We’ve had one of the best bilateral trade relationships in the world. So you really do have to ask yourself why Trump would want to ruin that.
Meanwhile, Statistics Canada reveals that visits to the U.S. are dropping as we Canucks start to avoid traveling there. Airlines report reservations are down. And I tip my hat to the Canucks who are leaving the warm state and returning home earlier than planned. Yup. I get that it wasn’t what you expected when you headed south a few months ago. But to get through this crisis, we’re all gonna have to suck it up and make alternative plans. Hey, I’ve been checking out Canadian versions of products that I used to order online without a thought to where they were manufactured. But now, I’m researching if there’s a Canadian alternative, say, to toothpaste, and if so, I’m buying it. Yup, it may be a little pricier, but it’s not a huge amount.
Yes, we Canadians are being asked to avoid American-made products, but we are not the only ones: Europeans are also calling for boycotts in response to political tensions with the U.S. We citizens are using the one tool that‘s available to us: our power as consumers to buy or not buy from certain brands or countries.
And it’s not just leisure travellers who are rethinking trips to the U.S. Canadian businesses are also losing confidence in cross-border travel and trade. My friends at Zoomer point out that since tariffs are taxes on imported goods, many businesses will need to adjust by acquiring materials and products from alternate sources. They will need to prepare for increased costs and disruptions in the supply chain by sourcing from local businesses, provinces or even international markets not affected by Trump’s tariffs.
Oh, and there’s another reason for people exiting the U.S. Get this: there’s a new American policy that will impact some Canadians staying in the U.S. for more than 30 days. They’ll be required to register with American authorities, this under a Protecting the American People Against Invasion executive order introduced by Trump. Sure thing: that’s who we are: Nasty Canadians out to take over the U.S. by invading them!!
Give me a breakl!!
Meanwhile, our new Prime Minister Mark Carney has said, “I’m ready to sit down with President Trump at the appropriate time – under a position where there’s respect for Canadian sovereignty – and we’re working for a common approach.” But he doesn't plan to visit Washington right away, suggesting he’ll likely have a phone call with Trump soon.
But Carney has just jetted over to Europe where he’s met with French President Emmanuel Macron during his first official overseas trip, seeking support from one of our oldest allies. Macron noted that tariffs only bring inflation, saying, "In the current international context, we want to be able to develop our most strategic projects with our closest, more loyal partners. We are stronger together, better able to ensure ... the full exercise of our sovereignty." Next for Carney is a meeting with Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
I’ll close by reminding us that there’s a chance this whole thing might even work in our favour. How? Well, Canada may be a nice alternative for international travellers who previously set out to visit the U.S. Who knows?

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