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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

Picture Butte council reviews third quarter variances

Posted on November 5, 2019

By Nikki Jamieson Sunny South News Picture Butte town council reviewed some variances in the 2019 budget. During their regular Oct. 28 meeting, Picture Butte… Read More »

Open houses seek input on new Coaldale recreation centre

Posted on November 5, 2019

By Nikki Jamieson Sunny South News Coaldale residents are able to weigh in on what will go into the proposed multi-use recreation centre. At an… Read More »

Copperheads collect four points during weekend play

Posted on October 29, 2019

Coaldale Copperheads Successful four points were collected on the weekend for the Coaldale Copperheads. Friday night on the road the team won 5-0 against Lomond… Read More »

Community Comment: Lest We Forget

Posted on October 29, 2019

By Loraine Debnam Community Comment “In Flanders fields the poppies blow between the crosses row on row”. These lines were written by Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae,… Read More »

Governments need to work together towards unity

Posted on October 29, 2019

Well that was fun. Note the sarcasm. Last week the 2019 federal election saw the Liberal government under Justin Trudeau stay in power, albeit with… Read More »

Police funding clarity?

Posted on October 29, 2019

Dear Minister Schweitzer, I read your very confusing letter as printed in the Oct 8, 2019 of Sunny South News, Coaldale In your letter you… Read More »

Grand opening for St. Joe’s playground

Posted on October 29, 2019

By Nikki Jamieson Sunny South News St. Joseph’s School has officially opened it’s new playground. On Friday, Oct 25, the school held the blessing and… Read More »

Procedural issues cause county council to rescind, perform new readings for road closure bylaw

Posted on October 29, 2019

By Nikki Jamieson Sunny South News Lethbridge County Council has rescinded and performed reading for a road closure, sale and consolidation bylaw. During their regular… Read More »

Copperheads split games over weekend

Posted on October 22, 2019

Coaldale Copperheads Saturday night at the Snake Pit the Copperheads took the home game handily against the Ponoka Stampeders 7-1. Stampeders who had only lost… Read More »

Albertans will expect the promised result

Posted on October 22, 2019

The Alberta legislature has resumed sitting for what it’s worth, for a hard-charging United Conservative government has proven in five months they don’t consider ruling… Read More »

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