Cambridge Chamber of Commerce

We remain optimistic that NAFTA 2.0 could be a huge boost to the economies of North America because there is so much to be gained. But we’re also starting to worry: anti-trade rhetoric and posturing could veer the talks towards trouble. There are a lot of contentious issues to resolve in an unreasonably short deadline. Trade, in general, and NAFTA, in particular, are massively unpopular with Trump supporters.

 

And the decision-making in Washington D.C. around trade issues has become increasingly chaotic, with U.S. business groups pushing back aggressively against nationalists in the administration. We’ve already seen an executive order to withdraw from NAFTA, where President Trump told the Washington Post, “I looked forward to terminating. I was going to do it.” It was the uproar from U.S. business that forced the Trump Administration to reverse its position.

 

And again this week, the U.S. government appeared poised to make a dangerous decision on steel tariffs. The Commerce department was supposed to brief Congress on the tariffs last Friday, but the meeting was cancelled. Officials are now scrambling to alter the decision after ferocious blowback from U.S. business.

 

The lesson is clear: the most important group advocating trade is not politicians or (god help us) economists. It’s the business community because businesses understand the real world consequences, the jobs that depend on trade. These folks have a very powerful message that resonates with the general public as well as local members of Congress and Senators. And they are the most credible on the benefits of trade.

 

It’s exciting to see business at the forefront of this campaign, and we need your help. The Canadian Chamber is organizing visits to key U.S. states, including Tennessee, Texas and Georgia. (We’ve already been to Virginia and South Carolina.) We’ll be meeting local businesses and U.S. political leaders to raise awareness of the benefits of the Canada-U.S. relationship and to point out the risks of damaging it.

 

Our CEO, Perrin Beatty, recently pointed out, “When you go to Washington and meet politicians on Capitol Hill, you’re just another foreign lobbyist. But when you go out to their congressional district in Memphis, with Canadian business leaders who are investing in the local economy, importing their goods and hiring their workers, then you are priority number one.”

 

Participants are needed to make this strategy effective. Businesses, large and small, in all sectors are invited. We would also appreciate if you could provide us with information about your relationships in those states— the key suppliers, major investments, etc. Canadian firms with local offices in these states can help by alerting the local branches of our visits and asking them to participate in events or perhaps host site tours, etc. If you’d like to participate or join any of our delegations, please email us.

 

We’re also playing a direct role in Canada’s NAFTA negotiations. Our CEO met last week with the Cabinet Committee and our Vice President is on the Chief Negotiator’s consultative committee. Our framework NAFTA brief has been submitted to the Global Affairs department. We’ll be providing additional information to our trade negotiators in the coming weeks and months. If you have trade issues that you want us to bring to Canada’s NAFTA negotiators, please email us.

 

Let’s put the power of the network behind NAFTA. Our economies and our jobs depend on it.

 

For more information, please contact :

Hendrik Brakel

Senior Director, Economic, Financial & Tax Policy

613.238.4000 (284) | [email protected]

Subscribe to this Blog Like on Facebook Tweet this! Share on LinkedIn

Contributors

Blog Contributor Portrait
Brian Rodnick
190
March 17, 2024
show Brian 's posts
Blog Contributor Portrait
Greg Durocher
41
July 28, 2023
show Greg's posts
Blog Contributor Portrait
Canadian Chamber of Commerce
24
January 29, 2021
show Canadian Chamber's posts
Blog Contributor Portrait
Cambridge Chamber
2
March 27, 2020
show Cambridge 's posts

Latest Posts

Show All Recent Posts

Archive

Tags

Everything Manufacturing Cambridge Events Spectrum New Members Taxes Region of Waterloo The Chamber Property Taxes Government Waste Cambridge Chamber of Commerce Networking Success Di Pietro Ontario Chamber of Commerce Greg Durocher Scott Bridger Food Blog Canada Ontario Cambridge Memorial Hospital Business After Hours Discounts Member Benefits Affinity Program Web Development Visa, MasterCard, Debit Big Bold Ideas Politics Elections Municipal Provincial NDP Liberals PC Vote Majority Christmas Homeless Leadership Oil Sands Environment Rail Pipelines Keystone Canadian Oil Canadian Chamber of Commerce Small Business Next Generation Cyber Security Millennials Energy Trump Washington Polls US Congress Bresiteers Trade NAFTA Europe Economy Growth Export Minimum Wage 15 dollars Bill 148 Cost Burdens Loss of Jobs Investing Finance Canada Capital Gains Exemption Tax Proposal MIddle Class Member of Parliment Unfair Changes Small Business Tax Fairness COVID-19 Mental Health Self-isolation Social Distancing Ways to Wellbeing Education Conestoga College Online Training Business Owners Personal Growth Communicate Young Professionals Workplace Communication Stress Emotionally and Physically Animals Pets Lockdown CEWS Employee Relief Employee Benefit Cambridge 50th Anniversary Celebrating Cambridge ToBigToIgnore Small Business Week Support Local Buy Local Business Support Waterloo Kitchener YouGottaShopHereWR Responsibility Culture Workplace Antiracist Inclusion Diversity Racism Federal Election Services Autonmy Professional Salary Wages CERB Workers Jobs Guidelines Health and Safety Etiquette Fun Inperson Members Golf Tournament GolfClassic Business Business Trends Home and Garden Garden Pools Home Improvements Backyarding Renos Summer Airlines Business Travel Bad Reviews Reviews Consumers Competition Bureau Dining Out Expert Advice Outdoors Economicrecovery BBQ Vaccines Community vaccinations Conferences Virtual Visitors Sportsandrecreation Spinoff Screening Kits Tourism Trends Productivity Engagement Remote working EmploymentStandardsAct Employees Employers Policies Employment Contracts Legal Public Health Virtual Ceremonies SMEs Health Canada Prevention Rapid Screening Health Entrepreneurs Building social networks Storytelling Video The She-Covery Project Child Care Workplaces Contact Tracing Time Management Pre-Budget Modernization Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS) Budget Ontario’s Action Plan: Protect, Support, Recover Federal Government Hotels and Restaurants Alcohol Tax Freezethealcoholtax Canadian Destinations Travel Grow your business Sales and Marketing Digital Restructure Financing Structural Regulatory Alignment Technological Hardware Digital Modernization RAP (Recovery Activiation Program) Support business strong economy Shop Cambridge Shop Local #CanadaUnited Domestic Abuse Family Funerals Weddings Counselling Anxiety Pandemic Getting Back to Work UV disinfection systems Disinfection Systems