DR. JACK MINTZ
President’s Fellow at the School of Public Policy,
University of Calgary

Canada’s ability to capitalize on its proximity to the United States is being throttled by a cumbersome federal trade bureaucracy. Ottawa’s incremental, politically‑sensitive approach to trade policy – characterized by lengthy consultations, regulatory red‑tape, and frequent policy reversals – creates uncertainty for Canadian exporters and manufacturers seeking to expand into the U.S. market.

What Canada needs is a pragmatic alternative: business leaders should take the initiative to forge direct, market‑driven relationships with American counterparts, effectively “end‑running” the government’s slow processes. This could involve forming joint ventures, securing bilateral supply‑chain contracts, and leveraging private‑sector financing mechanisms that bypass the need for formal government‑approved trade agreements. By doing so, Canadian firms can lock in favourable terms, accelerate product launches, and mitigate the risk of policy volatility.

The Canadian federal government still plays a vital role in setting macro‑economic frameworks and ensuring fair competition, but the private sector should not wait for Ottawa to lead. Instead, proactive engagement can preserve Canada’s competitive edge, protect jobs, and sustain economic growth in a landscape where the United States remains the dominant trading partner. Industry groups are urged to coordinate these efforts, creating a unified front that can negotiate with U.S. firms on equal footing, thereby turning Canada’s geographic advantage into tangible economic gains.

Click HERE to read the full analysis.