Agri-Food Economic Systems published a thought piece on February 8, 2025 that provides valuable coaching on how to approach the threat of 25 per cent tariffs on March 4. Authors Al Mussell, Douglas Hedley and Ted Bilyea share their strategic thinking.
Here’s a key excerpt on understanding the Canadian interest:
“In a trade negotiation (or a trade war) what matters is not just the vulnerabilities of the other side -- it is also the vulnerabilities and opportunities of your side with respect to your counterpart. We need to understand ourselves.
However, a common approach is to focus on the vulnerabilities of a counterpart and target those in retaliation. For example, if the members of a legislature coming up for election can be identified and the key industries located in their constituencies determined, targeting the products of those key industries with retaliation provides leverage. This is accompanied by engagement with regional governments to remind them of the benefits from trade and the value of partnership.
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