Home › Policy Articles: International Trade, Development & Finance: Canada - U.S. Relations: 2003

Danielle Goldfarb’s report looks at suggested proposals aimed at building stronger Canada-US economic relations. Despite core differences in the proposals, she finds there to be much in the way of consensus – regarding both the need for a coherent strategy and its principal elements. Goldfarb contends that future policy discussions should focus on a deeper substantive assessment of the desirability, feasibility, and details of a set of possible Canada-US initiatives.

At the time of this article’s writing, Canada’s last comprehensive foreign policy review was completed in 1995. In this context, its authors argue that a new foreign policy dialogue, launched in January 2003, would serve as a tentative step toward recognizing the need for a fresh look at Canada and the world.

In this report Bradley and Watkins explore the closely integrated energy economies of Canada and the United States. They point out that energy trade has grown significantly and become more market-based – stimulated by deregulation and underwritten by NAFTA. The authors argue this relationship has generated substantial benefits for Canada, and that growth has taken place with little friction; this said, they suggest that this benign situation is likely to change.

This report discusses issues considered at National Foreign Policy Conference in 2003. It was found that Canada needs to reconsider its position on foreign affairs due to the weakness of multilateral institutions, the change in security concerns and the instability of the international system.

This collaborative paper argues that a new approach to the implementation of foreign policy is necessary due to a changing international scene. Keeping in mind the importance of security, prosperity and the maintenance of Canadian values this report suggests the use of multilateralism, specialization and strong Canada - U.S. relations to move Canada forward on the international stage.

This report was submitted to the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (as it existed at the time of this paper’s writing); it is centred on discussions stemming from the Consultative Forum on Canada’s Role in the World, held in April 2003. The forum was organized by the Conference Board of Canada, and included participants from Canada’s business community. The main argument of this submission is simply that the prosperity pillar remains critical to Canada’s foreign policy.

This paper, written by Daniel Schwanen, was written in the context of the 15th anniversary of the implementation of the Canada-US Free Trade Agreement (also known as the FTA), which largely formed the basis of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Schwanen argues that both of these agreements must be viewed vis-à-vis the broader trend towards the increased liberalization of global trade, investment, and services, and the movement of people, following the Second World War, coupled with technological changes affecting transportation and communications.

In this report, Bruce Campbell examines the relationship between Canada and the US under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). He notes that as the politicians, bureaucrats, think tanks and media pundits who brought us NAFTA push ahead with their deep integration agenda, they dismiss the agreement’s negative effects and deny its failed promises.

Andrew Jackson evaluates the impacts of increased economic integration, from a Canadian perspective, between Canada and the United States. Specifically, Jackson examines the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), in the context of the “great free trade debate” of the late 1980s.

This submission by the CIIA Victoria branch suggests a new strategy for international relations. They suggest the first step is a strengthening of the Department of National Defence as well as the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. Specific actions to reach this end are suggested.

Brian Lee Crowley briefly discusses the trade realtioship between the US and Canada. He identifies Canada's dependance on US trade and emphasises the importance of border security to ensure positive trade realtions.

In this brief report, Barrett and Williams argue that it is critical for Canada to be clear on the future direction of our most important internal relationship: that with the United States. They contend that decisions made over the months and years following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 will define the relationship for years to come. Further, they argue that with the United States focusing on global security concerns, Canada must take the first steps in defining a future Canada-US relationship.

In this �Commentary,� Danielle Goldfarb and William B.P. Robson evaluate the vulnerability of Canadian exports, and the jobs and investment that are inextricably linked to our exports, in the aftermath of the September 11th terrorist attacks.

In this report Robert Wolfe contends that following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Canada is more dependent on the United States than ever before, yet the US is considerably less concerned with taking into account the views of other countries – Canada included. In this context, Wolfe argues there are no strong institutional mechanisms available to Canada that can override this apparent deafness. This said, he suggests that all actors should remember that Canada and the US have a long history of working together to address shared problems; in short, his view is that existing institutions suit both countries.

This paper, written on the 15th anniversary of the Canada-US Free Trade Agreement, examines the free trade claims of the big business lobby, the Business Council on National Issues (BCNI), in relation to its own performance over the past 15 years.

In this paper, which was presented at C.D. Howe’s Benefactor’s Lecture, Jack Granatstein provides a historical review of Canada’s foreign policy and its evolution, arriving at the conclusion that Canadian policy may be misdirected. He posits that Canada’s approach is based on the promotion of key principles and values, but that this approach fails to take seriously the pursuit of its national interests.

In this report Danielle Goldfarb examines the feasibility and desirability of a Canada-US customs union. She points out that a customs union is one option Canada might consider, as it explores how to best safeguard and enhance access to the US market. A customs union, according to Goldfarb, would involve Canada and the US establishing a common external tariff and other barriers to imports from the rest of the world.

This report is the culmination of a two-year survey conducted by the Fraser Institute examining the impact of non-tariff and non-quota trade barriers on Canadian companies exporting goods and services to the United States. In the survey, respondents suggested that relations between the two countries deteriorated since 2002, sufficiently so, that two-thirds of respondents said it had damaged their ability to export to the United States.

As Alexandroff and Guy point out, since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 Canada’s relationship with the United States has been under intense scrutiny. They also note that this scrutiny has increased even further, with Canada’s refusal to support the US-led invasion of Iraq. In this paper the authors explore the attitudes of the Canadian public towards a closer relationship with the United States.

In this study, Andrew Jackson examines the “Big Idea” of fostering even closer economic integration between Canada and the United States (from a Canadian perspective). He explains that the proposal of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives (CCCE) is a “strategic bargain” in which Canada would give the US a strong North American security perimeter and even greater access to Canadian energy resources; in return, Canada would supposedly obtain secure access to the US market.