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• Canada’s Nature Strategy: Minister Hunter
• Daylight saving time a mistake
• There is something almost too convenient in how quickly Canadians point south when discussing unpredictability in trade. Yes, Donald Trump has long been synonymous with volatility. But focusing solely on Washington risks missing a more uncomfortable truth: Ottawa has become just as difficult to read. Under Prime Minister Mark Carney, Canada’s posture toward the United States has shifted with surprising speed, less theatrical than Trump’s but no less consequential. In April 2025, he promised a renewed economic and security partnership. By the summer, the existing deal was described as the best possible outcome. Fast forward to April 2026, and suddenly, reliance on the U.S. is framed as a strategic weakness. All of this, notably, after months without meaningful engagement or negotiation. This shift in messaging matters, especially when delivered in a widely viewed address suggesting that CUSMA (the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement, which replaced NAFTA in 2020) is somehow on life support. It leaves industry asking a basic question: what exactly is the plan? That lack of clarity extends beyond messaging into how Canada is organizing its response. The revival of a Trudeau-era advisory council on Canada-U.S. relations might suggest renewed seriousness. And to be fair, its composition is more balanced than critics might assume. Figures like Ken Seitz and Michael Harvey bring genuine expertise in fertilizers and agricultural trade, critical inputs for food production. Others offer adjacent perspectives: Jean Simard understands packaging and processing supply chains; Jonathan Price connects to resource extraction essential for fertilizer inputs; and P. J. Akeeagok brings a grounded view of food security in remote regions. More important is what is missing: primary producers. Farmers. Western Canadian voices. Those operating at the very front lines of production. In a sector that is geographically vast and structurally complex, that omission is not trivial; it is strategic. And it reinforces the larger problem. Canada is not speaking with clarity because it is not grounded in the realities of its own production base. For an agri-food sector that, according to federal trade data, sends roughly 75 per cent of its exports to the United States policy ambiguity is not an academic concern, it is a business risk. Companies are not waiting for clarity. They are hiring consultants, restructuring supply chains, and preparing for a post-CUSMA environment. Not because it is inevitable, but because it is conceivable. That alone should raise alarms. The consequences of that uncertainty become clearer when compared to how others are acting. While Canada debates its posture, Mexico is moving decisively. Under Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, the government has demonstrated a level of strategic discipline that Canada would do well to study. Despite repeated provocations, from being labelled a “narco-president,” to symbolic disputes like the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico, to the ever-present rhetoric around border walls, Mexico has largely refused to take the bait. Instead of reacting to political distractions, it has stayed focused on trade, production and integration. That approach has paid off. Mexico did not escalate or grandstand. It did not reframe the partnership as a liability. It simply continued to deepen its role within the North American economy. And in doing so, it has strengthened its position as the United States’ most reliable agricultural and manufacturing partner. The result? Mexico is no longer just a participant in continental trade; it is becoming central to it. It is positioning itself as America’s fresh food basket, a year-round agricultural partner, and a seamless extension of the U.S. logistics and supply chain system. Canada, by contrast, risks drifting into a narrower role: a bulk commodity supplier with diminishing influence over consumer-facing markets. The contrast is striking. The U.S.-Mexico relationship is not without friction, but it is fundamentally aligned. Disputes happen within the partnership, not about its existence. Supply chains are being integrated, not questioned. The direction of travel is clear. Canada’s is not. And that is the real problem. Trade relationships do not unravel overnight. They erode gradually—through hesitation, mixed messaging and missed opportunities. What we are witnessing today is not a collapse, but a gradual separation in strategic direction. For a country whose prosperity is so tightly linked to cross-border trade, particularly in food, that is a risk we can ill afford. Because in the end, markets reward certainty. And right now, Canada is offering anything but. Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is senior director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University and co-host of The Food Professor Podcast. © Troy Media
• Canada is losing its grip on the U.S. market
• Province slammed for electoral boundaries plans

Recent Blog Posts →

• Canada’s Nature Strategy: Minister Hunter
• There is something almost too convenient in how quickly Canadians point south when discussing unpredictability in trade. Yes, Donald Trump has long been synonymous with volatility. But focusing solely on Washington risks missing a more uncomfortable truth: Ottawa has become just as difficult to read. Under Prime Minister Mark Carney, Canada’s posture toward the United States has shifted with surprising speed, less theatrical than Trump’s but no less consequential. In April 2025, he promised a renewed economic and security partnership. By the summer, the existing deal was described as the best possible outcome. Fast forward to April 2026, and suddenly, reliance on the U.S. is framed as a strategic weakness. All of this, notably, after months without meaningful engagement or negotiation. This shift in messaging matters, especially when delivered in a widely viewed address suggesting that CUSMA (the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement, which replaced NAFTA in 2020) is somehow on life support. It leaves industry asking a basic question: what exactly is the plan? That lack of clarity extends beyond messaging into how Canada is organizing its response. The revival of a Trudeau-era advisory council on Canada-U.S. relations might suggest renewed seriousness. And to be fair, its composition is more balanced than critics might assume. Figures like Ken Seitz and Michael Harvey bring genuine expertise in fertilizers and agricultural trade, critical inputs for food production. Others offer adjacent perspectives: Jean Simard understands packaging and processing supply chains; Jonathan Price connects to resource extraction essential for fertilizer inputs; and P. J. Akeeagok brings a grounded view of food security in remote regions. More important is what is missing: primary producers. Farmers. Western Canadian voices. Those operating at the very front lines of production. In a sector that is geographically vast and structurally complex, that omission is not trivial; it is strategic. And it reinforces the larger problem. Canada is not speaking with clarity because it is not grounded in the realities of its own production base. For an agri-food sector that, according to federal trade data, sends roughly 75 per cent of its exports to the United States policy ambiguity is not an academic concern, it is a business risk. Companies are not waiting for clarity. They are hiring consultants, restructuring supply chains, and preparing for a post-CUSMA environment. Not because it is inevitable, but because it is conceivable. That alone should raise alarms. The consequences of that uncertainty become clearer when compared to how others are acting. While Canada debates its posture, Mexico is moving decisively. Under Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, the government has demonstrated a level of strategic discipline that Canada would do well to study. Despite repeated provocations, from being labelled a “narco-president,” to symbolic disputes like the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico, to the ever-present rhetoric around border walls, Mexico has largely refused to take the bait. Instead of reacting to political distractions, it has stayed focused on trade, production and integration. That approach has paid off. Mexico did not escalate or grandstand. It did not reframe the partnership as a liability. It simply continued to deepen its role within the North American economy. And in doing so, it has strengthened its position as the United States’ most reliable agricultural and manufacturing partner. The result? Mexico is no longer just a participant in continental trade; it is becoming central to it. It is positioning itself as America’s fresh food basket, a year-round agricultural partner, and a seamless extension of the U.S. logistics and supply chain system. Canada, by contrast, risks drifting into a narrower role: a bulk commodity supplier with diminishing influence over consumer-facing markets. The contrast is striking. The U.S.-Mexico relationship is not without friction, but it is fundamentally aligned. Disputes happen within the partnership, not about its existence. Supply chains are being integrated, not questioned. The direction of travel is clear. Canada’s is not. And that is the real problem. Trade relationships do not unravel overnight. They erode gradually—through hesitation, mixed messaging and missed opportunities. What we are witnessing today is not a collapse, but a gradual separation in strategic direction. For a country whose prosperity is so tightly linked to cross-border trade, particularly in food, that is a risk we can ill afford. Because in the end, markets reward certainty. And right now, Canada is offering anything but. Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is senior director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University and co-host of The Food Professor Podcast. © Troy Media
• From the Archives of Western Newspapers
• From the Archives of Western Newspapers
• From the Archives of Western Newspapers

Sitting on municipal council is a task not to be taken lightly

Posted on September 3, 2021

A municipal election is one of the most important and locally influential votes a person can cast. Not only does a municipal council make decisions… Read More »

COVID-19 re-entry plan for the Palliser School Division

Posted on September 3, 2021

By Jaxon McGinn Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Sunny South News Since the start of COVID-19, many students had been doing online learning, but since the… Read More »

Picture Butte Growing Project a success in 2021

Posted on August 24, 2021

By Jaxon McGinn Local Journalism Initiative reporter Sunny South News Picture Butte and Area Growing Project is reporting a successful harvest this summer. The Foodgrains… Read More »

Federal election called at unideal time

Posted on August 24, 2021

To no one's surprise, Justin Trudeau has called a snap federal election set for Sept. 20. While we're still dealing with plenty of COVID-19 effects,… Read More »

Copperheads set training camp dates

Posted on August 24, 2021

By Cole Parkinson Sunny South News The Coaldale Copperheads have started to gear up for the upcoming 2021-22 season. With September on the way, the… Read More »

‘World-Class’ facility set to provide economic and educational benefit

Posted on August 24, 2021

By Laura Balanko-Dickson Sunny South News According to Dexter Durfey, secretary treasurer for the Palliser School Division (PSD) since 2017, the new school and recreation… Read More »

County supporting Readymade event

Posted on August 24, 2021

By Nikki Jamieson Sunny South News Lethbridge County is supporting a Readymade event in honour of Indigenous culture. During their regular Aug. 5 meeting, Lethbridge… Read More »

Wastewater lagoon upgrades groundbreaking ceremony

Posted on August 24, 2021

By Jaxon McGinn Local Journalism Initiative reporter Sunny South News On Aug. 18, the Town of Coaldale broke ground on the $12.8 million wastewater lagoon… Read More »

Students will be able to return to the classroom Sept. 8

Posted on August 18, 2021

By Jaxon McGinn Local Journalism Initiative reporter Sunny South News COVID- 19 has left some parents and teachers with concerns and questions for the upcoming… Read More »

Supporting health care in rural Alberta

Posted on August 18, 2021

Over the next several years, we are spending over $3 billion on everything from paving hospital parking lots to building brand new hospitals. Hundreds of… Read More »

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