Background on trade between Canada and USA. AutoPact was preceded by high tariff walls. AutoPact became model for freed trade negotiated bilaterally – model for Canada and for USA, and so for the integrated economy that outgrew all others in world. Auto infrastructure expanded, stabilized, in both countries, which lead to expansion of related industries. Example: transport goods south to north, return empty or return with goods as well? Interchange of people back and forth huge both in day-to-day business / consumption, but also in research, education, services, recreation and on and on.

AutoPact followed by integration followed by Free Trade, bilateral again, followed by more encompassing Free Trade Agreement. Talk to Canada in the world, means access to Canada-USA integrated consumer market. Talk to USA, means same. Both countries used bilateral deal as model with other countries. Almost a tag-team approach as countries lined-up to gain access either via Canada or via USA deals; deal with Canada and [fill-in the blank] quickly followed by deal with USA and same country; and vice versa.

World Trade Organization encroachments. AutoPact once the key, became liability and faded away, mutually dissolved after decades of integrating USA-Canada as huge consumer market. Canada had seat at table internationally because of. USA had strong partner not due to politics but due to strongly integrated common interests. Senior-Junior partnership, yes, and subject to domestic political gamesmanship either side of border, yes, yet healthy and flexible.

Play wrong political game? Strong partnership undermined. Canadian PM Trudeau played weak hand – talks (in appearances only) with Germany? Flopped in Asia when China took advantage: stalled progress while Canadian PM had his senior negotiation team in China expecting big deal; so team get on plane to depart to continue trade tour to other significant Asian markets (Japan, Korea, Singapor, etc) but at last minute China dangled possible agreement and PM left senior key team members behind to nail China-Canada deal and he continued to other countries. But no deal in China, just a stall, which insulted the other Asian countries ready to do business but PM did not have his senior team to complete. Public/ political insult as result. At each other country. No China deal so nothing gained at such a cost. Has continued this way since.

POTUS Trump has eyes wide open. PM weak negotiator. Makes nothing out of something. Contrasted with POTUS Trump who makes something out of nothing – and has strong hand anyway. So deal with Mexico first. Dropped tradition of setting model with Canada first. Canada on sidelines. Due to PM, not due to Canadian economy. Politics, art of deal, not a misstep in trade arrangements.

PM looks weakened in the domestic political scenes where his party needs to do very well in upcoming national election. Price being paid politically.

Basic problem: PM Trudea sees world through Obama/ Clinton eyes. Through Merkel's eyes. Not through Canadian eyes. Took wrong side, politically, and played the dumb card: If Trump is for it, we are against. Backfired. How to recover? Election losses upcoming.

See links for specific background on AutoPact through Canadian economy eyes:

1960s to present: Canada-US Auto Pact

https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/canada-us-automotive-products-agreement/

Early 2000s, established Auto Union view: Ending the Auto Pact

http://www.caw.ca/en/3061.htm

Note: PM Trudeau needs to do very well in Quebec where dairy industry lobby plays card of "Quebec nationalism" and where current [illegal] immigration policies have stoked embers of "Quebec Sovereignty" sentiment, again. Big ripple-making across rest of Canada, big potential political detours.

1964: U. S. AND CANADA PLAN AUTO PACT; Nations Close to Agreement on Dropping Duty for Vehicles and Parts

https://www.nytimes.com/1964/12/12/archives/u-s-and-canada-plan-auto-pact-nations-close-to-agreement-on.html

2001: The auto pact is dead. But should we cry?

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/the-auto-pact-is-dead-but-should-we-cry/article759756/

>>2936059

> "Much of the material posted here by anons serves to provide an antidote to the disinformation."

Enjoyed your post. Good for all to read either as intro or as reminder.

Notable?

It is the process, yes, that provides the antidote. And participation in the process, by whatever means, through whatever contribution, means innoculation.

Not cure. Prevention. Hard to cure. Shock and awe and the now-common stages of grief-to-embrace of awakening.

Again, being awake is a process to maintain and to sustain. It is not an end in itself.