This article originally appeared in the Financial Times. Below is an excerpt from the article.
By
Why must President Donald Trump bully Canada? Americans might not take jibes about the “51st state” seriously, but what Canadians see is an attack on their independence and even unity.
They acknowledge US economic power, but expect Americans to keep their word. In contrast, Trump wants to bind Canada while being free to change terms whenever he wishes. The US needs Canadian aluminium, but wants to constrain Canada’s ability to sell products made from the metal. Trump’s negotiators want to break up the 60-year-long integration of US-Canadian auto production by keeping out parts and pick-up trucks, hitting Ontario in particular. Prime Minister Mark Carney pointed out that the US questioned the French language requirements before the Quebec election. Washington is aware that Canadian retaliation through restrictions on energy exports would play into the hands of Albertan separatists before a referendum. And to top it all off, the US wants to limit Canada’s freedom to trade with others
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Robert Zoellick was President of the World Bank, US Trade Representative and Deputy Secretary of State. He is an Advisory Council Member at the Center for North American Security and Prosperity.
