Navigating Protectionism Without Losing Sight of Partnership

As a proud Canadian business, we fully understand the sentiment behind?“A return to American prosperity”?and domestic economic policies—after all, encouraging local industry is something we also support in Canada. However, we also recognize that the?economic ties between Canada and the U.S. are deeply interwoven, built over decades of trust, cooperation, and shared success.

We have worked?diligently and in good faith?to build strong relationships with our U.S. clients and vendors, not as a means to undercut American businesses, but as?partners in delivering value, innovation, and quality. Trade policies that disrupt these partnerships don’t just affect businesses like ours—they?impact jobs, supply chains, and customers on both sides of the border.

While political rhetoric may suggest otherwise, we don’t believe that the intent of those who voted for the current administration was to?punish long-standing allies or wield economic power indiscriminately. Protectionism, when applied too broadly, can have unintended consequences—potentially making industries less competitive, increasing costs for consumers, and straining partnerships that have historically benefited both nations.

This kind of?reactionary economic nationalism?is reminiscent of?McCarthyism, a period in U.S. history when fear-driven policies sought to isolate, control, and resist change—only to ultimately fail. The world moved on, and just as that era couldn’t turn back the clock on political realities, we?cannot turn back the hands of time on economic realities. The world is interconnected, supply chains are global, and businesses—big and small—thrive on cooperation, not isolation.

That?genie is out of the bottle, and no policy, no matter how protectionist, will be able to force it back in. A global economy is not just something that exists in theory; it’s the?foundation of modern business, innovation, and prosperity. Attempts to dismantle it through aggressive economic nationalism risk?weakening industries rather than strengthening them. Recovery from such policy, even short-lived can cause longstanding and irreparable harm.

For our part, we remain committed to?preserving and strengthening our relationships with U.S. clients and vendors. We value the trust placed in us and will continue to work with integrity, resilience, and a the spirit of partnership—because strong businesses and strong economies aren’t built on isolation, but on cooperation.

Rather than retreating into the rhetoric of?"only buy American" or "only buy Canadian,"?we should direct our energy toward?challenging this flawed approach?and advocating for policies that reflect the?real economic needs of businesses and consumers on both sides of the border.

Protectionism should not be the mandate of the people—it is the consequence of political maneuvering that fails to acknowledge the deep, mutually beneficial relationships that businesses like ours have worked so hard to build.?No one wins in an economic standoff; instead, we all risk higher costs, lost opportunities, and the erosion of trust between long-standing partners.

We must?implore all levels of government—municipal, provincial, state, and federal—and speak with a loud and unified voice?in opposition to this divisive approach. This is?not what Canadians or Americans need, nor is it in the best interest of our economies.?Now is the time for diplomacy, collaboration, and pragmatic policymaking—not for short-sighted economic walls.

Let’s make it clear:?we stand for strong partnership, not abject protectionism.