The Case for a Stronger Canadian-European Alliance
Benjamin Barry
Staff Writer
Since Donald Trump was elected to be the 47th president of the United States, American foreign policy has taken a sharp turn. Traditionally, the U.S. has maintained strong relationships with its allies in Europe, the Americas, and the rest of the world. Recently, the new administration has largely abandoned this precedent, opting for isolationist practices such as levying numerous tariffs against their own allies, as reported by France 24. Additionally, Trump has sought out a closer relationship with Russia, turning his back on an alliance that had always been unified against Russia.
Of the U.S.’ allies, Canada has become a prime target for the Trump administration. Many statements have been put out suggesting incorporating the sovereign country as the 51st state, with Trump saying that “Canada only works as a state” according to The Associated Press. Furthermore, many of the tariffs enacted have been imposed on Canada, albeit them being walked back and reinstated several times. In an already tumultuous political environment, many have said the worsening relationship between the two countries is part of the reason that Justin Trudeau, the country’s prime minister, has stepped down. His replacement, Mark Carney, was chosen to replace him with 86 percent of the vote, according to NPR.
For Canada’s sake, it is almost necessary for them to strengthen their relationships with other allies in Europe and the rest of the world in light of their recent rift with the United States. France 24 reports that the country has already taken steps towards this, meeting with European leaders in Brussels. A Canadian-European trade deal, also known as CETA, has been in talks recently to expand their export partners, especially considering the United States currently accounts for 77 percent of Canadian exports. This deal, according to the Financial Post, may help to “replace the shattered Canada-U.S. link.”
It is vital that Canada seeks out stronger relationships with other allies to maintain stability at a time when actions by their southern neighbor threaten to disrupt their economy and strength. This disruption can be seen in the case of their electrical grids, which are highly integrated. In fact, The Hill reports that the United States is currently Canada’s sole partner in electricity. After Trump enacted 25 percent tariffs on most Canadian and Mexican goods entering the U.S., the Canadian province of Ontario pushed back. They’ve put in place a 25 percent surcharge on electricity exports to U.S. states that share a land border with them- Michigan, Minnesota, and New York- expected to cost around $400,000 per day. Since then, according to CNN, these have been walked back by Ontario’s premier after Trump threatened even more tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum. Despite narrowly avoiding a trade war that could have cost both countries significantly, the uncertainty of the U.S.’ actions are too great for Canada to remain complacent. To quell this infighting between some of the world’s largest geopolitical players, it is necessary that Canada and other countries respond carefully to Trump’s tariffs. While it may be necessary for their own economy to impose retaliatory tariffs on the United States, it is vital that these countries do their best not to contribute to the escalation to avoid a trade war.
Recently, top diplomats from the G7 countries met in Canada to discuss a variety of topics, from the Russo-Ukrainian war to conflict in the Middle East. Although these topics were discussed, the underlying component of the meeting was Trump threatening a 200 percent tariff on European wine in response to their retaliatory tariffs on American whiskey. If implemented, wine producers told the Wall Street Journal that they would be unable to sell to American markets. Before the summit, Canadian foreign minister Mélanie Joly told The Associated Press that she will continue to bring up and speak about the U.S. tariffs, working with European allies to fight back.
Announcing and retracting tariffs by Trump since his entry into office has had a tangible effect on both countries, with a New York Fed survey showing that 27.4 percent of U.S. households expect a worse financial future, the highest level since November of 2023 as reported by The Hill. Additionally, Ontario’s threatened retaliatory tariffs would have cost around $400,000 per day if implemented. This economic insecurity has affected both American and European markets, with CBS News reporting the “biggest drop in U.S. allocation ever,” meaning investors are pulling out of the United States after the S&P 500 fell over 50 points in the early hours of Tuesday, March 18. To ensure the security and strength of their nation, Canada must work with European allies to weather the storm of Trump’s presidency.
Image courtesy of Getty Images.
