Preface - While MAPLE Business Council promotes bilateral trade, investment and entrepreneurship between Canada and the United States focused on our primary markets of Southern California and New York, as an executive—level networking organization we do not pursue advocacy or public policy. We do support responsible and progressive free trade such as what we’ve enjoyed in North America as part of NAFTA and now the “New NAFTA”, or the USMCA/CUSMA agreement. With the modernized trilateral agreement having just entered into force on Canada Day, July 1st, we want to add our voice of opposition to the imposition of tariffs on Canadian aluminum and especially when it is done so in the name of national security when Canada continues to stand with the United States as its closest ally and partner.
MAPLE Business Council is deeply concerned over the announcement that aluminum tariffs will be re-imposed on Canada on August 16. Our focus right now should be on North American economic recovery, not levying duties.
Canada is an important and secure aluminum supplier to U.S. manufacturers – and North American-sourced aluminum is an integral part of the new USMCA agreement. Canada has always worked directly with the U.S. to prevent unfairly priced foreign aluminum from flooding the North American market. Protectionist measures do not stimulate economic growth or revive struggling industries.
Suggesting that Canadian aluminum is a threat to national security ignores the longstanding defense partnership which Canada and the United States enjoy dating back to the First World War. Our women and men in arms continue to fight side-by-side around the world to ensure security and safety at home and abroad. We are jointly in charge of the only binational command in the world – NORAD. Canadian and American aluminum go into the building of defense products that protect both of our countries, we have military personnel from one another’s countries stationed in our respective bases, and Canada remains the U.S.’s principal ally in NATO defense.
The U.S. does a great disservice to its strong relationship with Canada if s232 aluminum tariffs are re-imposed. There is still time to reverse this action before Canada imposes its own dollar-for-dollar countermeasures on September 16th. Our economies are too intertwined for this decision to move forward and it will negatively impact jobs on both sides of the border. The new USMCA agreement, which just entered into force on July 1, is too significant an opportunity to immediately undermine with tariffs.
MAPLE Business Council joins with the Consulate General of Canada in Los Angeles and leading business and industry organizations in Canada and the U.S. in opposing s232 tariffs on Canada.
Stephen Armstrong
Robert Kelle
Co-Founders