Many nations view Canada positively. Melding that perception with a pro-business attitude could bring immense benefits to Canadians and our trade partners.
Outrage continues to grow in South Korea after an ICE raid at a Hyundai plant in Georgia resulted in workers being chained and handcuffed. As noted by a journalist based in South Korea’s capital, Seoul, anger has unified a usually-divided political spectrum:
“1/ S. Korea’s entire media establishment across political spectrum has united in unprecedented editorial consensus expressing profound betrayal, outrage, national humiliation, and fundamental breach of US-ROK alliance re: mass arrest of Korean workers at Hyundai’s Georgia plant.”
2/ The general sentiment: while Korean media occasionally unite on domestic issues, these are usually severely politicised. Here, the level of scorn spanning from conservative establishment to progressive outlets is extraordinarily rare. They are furious.
3/ Chosun Ilbo (flagship conservative): Scathing language calling this a “merciless arrest operation” that represents something “that cannot happen between allies” and a “breach of trust.” Notes Trump personally thanked Hyundai’s chairman just months ago.
4/ Chosun calls the situation “bewildering” and emphasises the contradiction: Trump pressures Korean companies to invest while simultaneously arresting their workers. The editorial questions whether American investment promises survive across different administrations.
5/ Dong-A Ilbo (conservative): Delivers perhaps the most damning question in its headline: “How are we supposed to build factories?” while noting Korea was “specifically targeted” and describing this as “shocking” behaviour between allies.
Zero-sum vs mutual benefit
America is currently stuck in a zero-sum mindset because U.S. President Donald Trump misunderstands trade and believes someone can only win by hurting someone else. Of course, that’s not how the world works. One of the reasons that free market capitalism is so successful (when tempered by reasonable social welfare) is that it creates mutually beneficial win-win relationships. When we want to sell something, and someone else wants to buy it at a mutually-agreed-upon price, we are both generally better off. That’s true for individuals, companies, and nations.
For example, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola says Europe wants Canadian energy:
“In an interview on CTV Question Period that aired Sunday, when asked directly by host Vassy Kapelos whether there is, in her view, a customer in Europe for Canada’s conventional energy exports, Metsola said: “yes.”
“If you see how we have pivoted over the last years, we found ourselves when Russia invaded Ukraine, that we were completely, to a certain extent, reliant on a very unreliable partner for gas and oil, and that meant that we have had to divest, uncouple ourselves, and we’re almost completely done,” she told Kapelos. “To do that, we need to find alternative sources.””
“Metsola said many European countries have been forced to rely on those “more unreliable partners” because of their physical proximity.
“That’s why we talk about joint partnerships,” she added. “We don’t only talk about defence; we don’t talk about security. We talk about strategic autonomy, which also means that we need reliable and predictable sources of supply, and Canada comes into the mix.”
Would Canada be taking advantage of Europe if we sold them massive amounts of LNG in return for money and ended up with a large trade surplus with Europe? Of course not. It would be a win-win situation. Canada has the energy Europe needs, and we have more energy than we can use domestically. Canada can always use more money to build our economy, improve infrastructure, invest, etc. Through trade, Europe gets energy, and Canada gets money. Both sides are better off.
By treating our friends well and showing an open attitude to trade and partnerships with like-minded nations, Canada builds its reputation as a great place to invest and become one of the most reliable trade partners in the world. With the U.S. going in the opposite direction, that creates an opportunity for Canada. But to fully take advantage of that opportunity, Canada needs to make it easier to do business, in large part by cutting red tape.
The government appears to be moving in the right direction in that regard, saying a 60-day review has led to nearly 500 ways to streamline regulations:
“Departments and agencies have published reports identifying measures to make them more efficient and eliminate complicated or redundant regulations or processes.
Examples include a Canada Border Services Agency proposal to end the rule requiring that travellers arriving in Canada only on their way to another country, be examined by the agency before making their way to their departing flight.
Transport Canada is looking to introduce rules for transporting certain low-risk dangerous goods by drone, while the Department of National Defence says it plans to streamline the Canadian Armed Forces grievance system.”
The government must turn these ideas into actions, and do so asap. Canada has a window to take advantage of America’s alienating behaviour to allies, and others will jump on the opportunity if Canada doesn’t move with dispatch.
Embracing the values that built the modern world
Ultimately, America’s current retreat from free trade, lack of respect for allies, and rejection of mutually beneficial partnerships don’t do anything to discredit those ideas. The modern world built up after the Second World War was the most prosperous era in human history. And that prosperity was built in large part by the embrace of a certain set of values that prioritized openness and respect. Openness to others, openness to new allies, respect for those allies, openness to trade, and respect for signed trade agreements all helped propel free countries to a level of prosperity far beyond those nations that remained closed off. Trust was built, long-term investment became easier, and trade helped dramatically boost wealth.
Those values are still good and true today. By adhering to those values, Canada can bring more investment and talent into our nation, build deeper partnerships with fellow democracies, and help build a hopeful and prosperous future for Canadians.
Spencer Fernando
Image – YouTube
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