Most Canadians would reject a trade deal that includes tariffs, Nanos survey suggests

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Canadians are increasingly opposed to any U.S. trade deal that would include tariffs on Canadian goods.

Canadians are increasingly opposed to any U.S. trade deal that would include tariffs on Canadian goods.

“Canadians feel more loved,” said Barry Appleton, international trade lawyer. “We’ve been courted by the Europeans. We’ve been courted out by the Philippines. We’ve been courted out in ASEAN. We’re talking to India for the first time. We don’t feel like we’re being rejected by our best friend. We’re feeling like we’re being loved at a party.”

That growing appreciation from other countries may explain why Canadians would prefer to find trading partners that don’t impose tariffs on Canadian products.

But that confidence can do little to alter North America’s geography, Canada’s proximity to the United States, and the natural trade flow those realities create.

“The problem is seven out of every $10 that we that we export still goes to the United States. So we still need to figure out how to make that relationship work,” said Appleton.

He added, “At the end of the day, the United States has made it clear with every single one of its trade partners -- the EU, for example, Great Britain is another good example -- they’re all paying. So, the price of getting to the United States is paying tariffs now. It’s pay-to-play. The question is going to be: Can we afford that, or can we not?”

That is the very question Canadian officials are mulling over right now.

In the past few weeks, trade talks between Canada and the United States have restarted, with the U.S. Ambassador to Canada, Pete Hoekstra, expressing confidence a trade deal can be reached before the end of the year.

Prime Minister Mark Carney addressed those talks on Saturday during a news conference in Manila, stating that, just before leaving for his current overseas trip, he had a substantive conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump.

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