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As Ontario pushes for a bilateral agreement with the U.S., will Canada be stronger negotiating alone or with Mexico as a partner?

A bilateral trade agreement might streamline negotiations and mitigate some of the unpredictability tied to trilateral deals. By focusing solely on U.S.-Canada relations, the two countries could prioritize shared economic goals, particularly in sectors like automotive manufacturing and energy.

Published Nov 15, 2024 at 8:56pm

Barbara Patrocinio

As Ontario pushes for a bilateral agreement with the U.S., will Canada be stronger negotiating alone or with Mexico as a partner?

Ont Legislature 20220809 Ontario Premier Doug Ford, left and Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade Victor Fedeli react after Lt.-Gov. Elizabeth Dowdeswell delivered her Speech from the Throne at Queen's Park in Toronto, on Tuesday, August 9, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Lahodynsk

Ontario is getting ready for the potential economic risks and opportunities of a second Donald Trump presidency.

After the American election results, Premier Doug Ford asked the federal government to go for a bilateral trade agreement with the U.S., bypassing Mexico unless it aligns more closely with North American partners on Chinese imports.

Ford accused Mexico of serving as a “backdoor” for Chinese goods entering North America, urging the country to match Canadian and U.S. tariffs on imports from China.

As Ontario pushes for a bilateral agreement with the U.S., will Canada be stronger negotiating alone or with Mexico as a partner?

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