The Globe and Mail reports in its Tuesday, Feb. 14, edition that as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau prepares to renegotiate
the North American free-trade agreement, he still cannot
be certain how much of an economic
bruising Canadians will face under President Donald Trump or a Republican Congress.
An unbylined item in The Globe reports Mr. Trump said Monday the United States will only "tweak"
trade ties with Canada.
The Globe says Mr. Trump's America-first trade policy
has the potential to embolden protectionism
within Congress as well as
empire building among U.S. government
departments.
The Globe notes few Canadians
alive have experienced a serious
trade conflict with Americans.
Canada has relatively little leverage
when confronting a hostile trade action.
It has potential allies -- U.S. governors of
border states and American chief executives
who conduct significant business
with Canada -- but only selective leverage
over the United States, and few, if
any, ace cards.
Trade experts say, however, that if
Canada is backed into a corner by U.S.
measures to restrict or block shipments
to that country, it must only threaten retaliation
if it is prepared to deliver.
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