U.S. Auto Trade Conflict: Protectionism or Strategic Repositioning?

Canada’s role in the North American auto supply chain is at a crossroads. In the 1980s, U.S. protectionism pushed Japanese automakers to build plants in America — preserving jobs and strengthening industry. Today, Canada faces a different challenge. We may not have domestic auto brands, but we play a vital role in the North American auto supply chain, supplying raw materials, labor, and expertise while delivering efficiency and affordability for U.S. consumers.

With the internal combustion engine set to phase out by 2035, is America’s reshoring push protectionism or strategic repositioning for next era of mobility? US is known for strategic thinking and while these measures may appear disruptive, they could be designed to secure leadership over the future value chain — For Canada, this is a moment for reflection. Rather than seeing these developments solely as trade headwinds, we can leverage our natural advantages to redefine our role in the evolving mobility ecosystem — as a reliable supplier of critical minerals powering the EV revolution and anchoring Canada’s relevance in the next chapter of North American auto manufacturing. By doing so, we can transform today’s negotiations into short-term stability and long-term strategic advantage. After all, history reminds us what happens when industries fail to anticipate change — think Nokia before the smartphone era.

I see in this challenge an opportunity to deliver a home run for Canadians — and it would be an honour to serve our great nation at the negotiation table, if called upon. 🇨🇦

I’d love to hear your perspective — how should Canada position itself to lead in the next mobility era?