A Fractious Relationship
TORONTO – In 1969, during a visit of then PM Pierre Trudeau to Richard Nixon, he described Canada’s relationship with the United States as “Living next to you is in some ways like sleeping with an elephant. No matter how friendly and even-tempered is the beast, if I can call it that, one is affected by every twitch and turn.”
Fast forward to 2025 with the new US President about to take oath on the 20th of this month, the elephant is not just twitching and turning but charging on to its northern neighbour. President elect Trump has threatened Canada’s exports with 25% tariffs if it does not curb illegal crossings and does not control the flow of illicit drugs to the US. Worse, he has doubled down on his threats to make Canada the 51st state of the US if these demands are not met. He claims that a lot of Canadians are willing to be included in the US. I think 10% is not a lot. And I dare not speculate on who belongs to the 10%. Thus, the relationship between the two countries, which cracked in 2018 when NAFTA was re-visited, fractured with the ascension of the new US President to the White House.
As of December 2024, three countries account for more than 40% of the US trade, namely, Canada, Mexico and China. The US Census Bureau lists Mexico as the number one trading partner of the US, logging in at 16%, followed by Canada at 14% and China at 11%, as reported the US News and World Report, December 3rd, 2024.
Twenty-five percent tariffs on all of our exports to the US will most certainly affect the 41,465,298 living in Canada. It will involve billions of dollars. Unthinkable when billions of dollars are involved. Economic threats are serious and should not be shrugged. The conditions to be met are twofold: curb illegal crossings and, as well, stop flow of illicit drugs to the US. Now, we can act on the first condition but the second, not that easy. Illicit drugs are all over the world. We have our own drug problem here in Toronto which explains the presence of safe injection sites to prevent drug overdose and the ingestion of contaminated drugs peddled in the streets. It’s not a perfect solution to the drug problem we have but, at least, we’re trying to address it.
The other condition, that we curb illegal crossings to the US, I’m sad to admit, we have been complacent in addressing the issuance of student visas. As is the annual practice, Canadian universities and colleges recruit students from around the world to study in the country. However, reports have shown that some of these “students” did not even comply with the school’s academic requirement, ie, attendance. And they could not be found. Speculation was they had crossed the border on to the US. Just like in Mexico, human smugglers have found the better way to escort their human cargo using the vast forests of Canada – something that the Canadian authorities are finding hard to patrol. How did we arrive at this? Simple … by outwitting and exploiting Canada’s politeness.
We will find a way to address this. I know we will. I like the US. It’s a favourite destination of mine. The people there speak English and need I say, I have relatives coast to coast. But I love Canada. It has been my home since 1974. I visit the old country which is the Philippines and during every visit there, I miss Canada and can’t wait to return. Every July 1st, I sing fervently O Canada. The maple syrup has invaded my veins, so to speak.
Pic by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay