Methinks Foreign Affairs Minister (Ontario Branch) Ford should be treading lightly when thinking about a bi-lateral trade agreement with the New United States of America. Cutting Mexico out of the old North American Free Trade Agreement because they source parts from cheaper sources than from over that wall in the US, might be a double-edged sword.
It might do well for the King of Ontario to remember that the Americans only liked having the Big 3 Automakers assemble some of their cars in Canada (mostly in Ontario because GM shut down the plant in Quebec) because of the exchange rate that meant we were paying our auto workers less than the US equivalent wage. That got messed up for a while when our dollar was on par, but the money guys soon got that back on track.
The wannabe Governor of the State of Ontario might consider that those EV battery plants that are sprouting up in southern Ontario are there partly because of the exchange rate: Canadian Toonie vs the US dollar. (The Loonie is not worth a plugged nickel on the international market). The President-elect (or one of his people) is going to figure out that the exchange rate on Canadian dollars and Mexican pesos has a correlation tied to tariffs on goods coming from cheap markets outside the New US borders.
As the Grand Poohbah of The GTA and the Rest of Ontario, He might recall that he sends his minions off all around the world scouting for trade deals where we can get cheap goods in trade for some of our not-value-added natural resources. By the way, those ‘cheap’ men’s underwear that were made in India are not washing machine proof. I’d send them back, but Trudeau and Modi are – you know - having a spat. Almost everyone has forgotten how Lee Jeans left us for that bi-lateral trade partner with whom Dougie wants to get into bed.
I can understand Dougie trying to curry favour with the Don but don’t let us strain our backs kowtowing until we see how the wind is blowing with the Czar’s new cabinet. If that tariff wall goes up, we may be wishing for a bi-lateral trade deal with Mexico, not the United States. Maybe we could sell some of those EV batteries to China – via Mexico. How many pesos can we get for 1 loonie? You want US dollars!! Just asking.
Oh, and before I forget, I must thank Doug in his role as Santa Claus for promising to send out those $200 cheques, direct deposits, cash, or food bank vouchers. Gotta be an election in the offing. OMG.
And by the way, Justin, we may be negotiating that old trade deal sooner than you think. Elon may X that deal immediately. Maybe you should appoint our Premier to sit on your trade committee. Just saying.
