A more prosperous approach would be to use this historical
moment of disruption to strengthen coherence between trade
and environmental agreements and propel implementation
of global commitments under the Pact for the Future,
Paris Agreement, Global Biodiversity Framework and
other co-operative mechanisms that support
evidence-based and scientifically informed approaches
to sustainable development.
While the U.S. is busy dismantling its environmental laws
and the federal agencies tasked to protect public and
environmental health, Canada’s government needs to
acknowledge that expanding trade with the U.S.
will undermine environmental and public health
protection across borders. Canada should ensure
that all our future trade agreements integrate
fundamental environmental standards, including
the precautionary and polluter pays principles and
intergenerational equity.
With a review of the Canada–U.S.–Mexico trade agreement
approaching, some have suggested that Mexico and Canada
should each pursue bilateral agreements with the U.S. But
this would further empower the U.S. and go against the two
other countries’ interests. The reliability of the U.S. as a trade
partner, as well as its trustworthiness as a member of the
international community, has collapsed. Pursuing trade
relations with a rogue superpower such as the U.S. will
substantially weaken Canada’s national resilience to
systemic shocks.
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