Trump should consider a common market with Canada – Latest News
As President Donald Trump continues to toy (troll?) with the concept of Canada changing into the 51st state, he should consider a higher option: Build a common market with our neighbors to the north.
That’s a lot more in line with the statehood concept than hitting the nation with a barrage of tariffs.
A deal to let labor, items and capital movement freely each methods can be a boon to each economies, much like the early days of European financial integration, earlier than European Union bureaucrats began regulating industries within an inch of their lives.
And it might keep away from the drawbacks of the statehood method — two more senators for the Democrats and the yoke of absorbing a comparatively sluggish financial system. (If it joined the union, Canada can be the fourth poorest state.)
The secret’s to make it true free commerce, not a advanced mess of pink tape: The two nations might then act as a bloc when it got here to tariffs and freedom of motion with different international locations as effectively.
Indeed, Ronald Reagan endorsed a common market with Canada in his 1980 presidential marketing campaign earlier than negotiating the more restricted Canada-US Free Trade Agreement.
More From Post Editorial Board
The two economies are already closely intertwined.
Much of America’s cattle are born state-side earlier than being shipped throughout the northern border to graze, then shipped back to be processed; auto elements (which Trump simply focused for a 25% tariff) make a comparable back-and-forth journey en path to completed automobiles.
Smoothing out such transfers would increase income and effectivity in dozens of industries.
And national security needn’t be compromised: Free motion of labor might merely imply that residents are seamlessly employed at firms in both nation with out the fuss of visas; fast passport checks on the border might proceed.
In negotiations, Washington might insist that Ottawa strengthen its immigration screening for terrorists and criminals — and permit for the sharing of technology, databases and security coaching.
The White House would have the leverage to demand it: Canada would doubtless soar on the probability of a common market, since a whopping 80% of the nation’s exports come right here.
Opening up commerce with Canada makes a lot more sense, and would benefit Americans a lot more, than a commerce battle or the opposite excessive of statehood.
Go for the best of each worlds, Mr. President, and seal a legacy-making deal as an alternative.
