Government News

Regardless of the president, Canada must deal with a more protectionist United States: former envoy

By - 25 Jan 2024 06:19 PM

"No matter who wins the election in November, Canada needs to get ready for a more isolationist and protectionist U.S., according to the country's ambassador to the United States for the majority of Donald Trump's administration.

David MacNaughton stated in an interview with Global News, ""What you've got down there is a challenging situation where we need to be able to demonstrate to them that we are a reliable, good friend and good partner.""

""The last time, we spent a lot of time demonstrating to them our importance from an economic standpoint.""Trump defeated Nikki Haley in the Republican New Hampshire primary Tuesday night with 54 per cent of the vote, putting him one step closer to securing the GOP nomination.

Trump, according to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, adds a level of ""unpredictability"" to ties with the United States."

No matter who wins in November, MacNaughton emphasized how crucial it is for Canada to sell its economic friendship by offering to supply vital minerals and hydroelectricity, but more importantly, by sharing how it can work with the United States on priorities.

"I believe that this time, even more importantly, is going to be to assist them with some of the things that they're most concerned about, which include drugs entering the country, illegal immigration, and possible terrorism," MacNaughton remarked.A Jan. 15 Angus Reid poll indicates that 53% of Canadians believe a Biden win would be better for the country's economy, while only 18% believe a Trump win would be advantageous.

In anticipation of the upcoming American administration, Trudeau declared that he had assigned current Ambassador Kirsten Hillman, Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne, and Trade Minister Mary Ng to spearhead a "Team Canada" strategy in their dealings with the United States.

According to MacNaughton, Canada frequently brings up a list of demands during these talks, but it frequently pays little attention to our largest trading partner.

It resembles spending all of your time talking about yourself while out on a date. Most likely, it will be your one and only."Although you can't always meet everyone's needs, you should consider what they need and see what we can do to meet it."