Getty ImagesThe Peace Bridge, which connects Port Erie, Ontario, to Buffalo, New York, carries more than 1 million trucks and 5 million cars each year.
As Americans prepare to vote for their next president, Canadians and Mexicans watch nervously.
For some Canadians living next to the U.S. border, politics isn’t much of a topic.
“We don’t talk politics, we don’t talk religion,” says Ernie, 85, who lives in Fort Erie, a Canadian town across the Niagara River from Buffalo, New York.
But for residents of Fort Erie, Ont., politics sometimes comes up, especially after a few beers and with the U.S. presidential election fast approaching.
At Southside Patio Bar & Grill, a short walk from the Peace Bridge that connects the two countries, American-born bartender Lauren says she often has to interrupt political discussions.
“That happens especially after a few drinks. You can hear everyone here,” she laughed, shaking her head.
In the Mexican border city of Juarez, about 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers) southwest, Sofia Anna stands in a line of cars waiting to cross into El Paso, Texas, for work Monday morning.
“There are better job opportunities in the U.S. and better benefits,” she explains.
Ana is one of an estimated 500,000 Mexicans who legally cross the border into the United States every week.
It is in their interest that relations between the two countries remain friendly. “It affects us deeply… it’s so intense,” Anna added from the car window.
With more than 155 million Americans set to vote in the US presidential election on November 5th, it is no exaggeration to say that the results will be felt far beyond the United States. The same goes for Canada and Mexico, which are our largest trading partners.
Two-way goods trade between the United States and Mexico totaled $807 billion (£621 billion) last year, making Mexico the United States’ largest trading partner in terms of physical items.
Meanwhile, the United States’ merchandise trade with Canada in 2023 was the second largest at $782 billion. By comparison, the amount for the United States and China was $576 billion.
Getty Images
More than 500,000 Mexicans enter the United States legally every day, most of them by car.
If Donald Trump wins the US presidential election, it could affect Mexico and Canada’s future trade with the US. This is because the government is proposing the introduction of significant import duties. These are 60% for products from China and 20% for products from all other countries (including obviously Mexico and Canada).
In contrast, Kamala Harris is widely expected to maintain President Biden’s current more open trade policies. This is despite him voting against the 2020 United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) free trade agreement, saying it did not go far enough to tackle climate change.
One poll in September said Trump and Harris had “very different visions for the future of America’s economic relationship with the world.”
Back in Juarez, shop owner Adrian Ramos says political instability in the United States is something business owners like him have to get used to. “We’ve seen it all,” he says.
Ramos added that the outcome in the US on November 5th, whoever wins, is likely to impact his business. “If Mr. Trump wins, it will take longer for them to reach the United States. If Mr. Harris wins, it may not, but it will change depending on who wins.”
Mexican store owner Adrian Ramos says Mexicans will be affected by the outcome of the U.S. presidential election no matter who wins.
Dave Braden, a beef farmer in the rural town of Puslinch, Ontario, Canada, is definitely more concerned about Trump’s return to the White House.
“My concern with President Trump is that when he introduces policies (such as tariffs) and just says, ‘Let’s do it,’ that’s a threat,” he said between hay bales in front of a field of cows. Mr. Braden, standing on the floor, says. .
“With Ms. Harris, I think there is an assumption that she recognizes the relationship between our two countries and that we will work together.”
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce is also concerned about the possibility that a second term of President Trump could introduce new tariffs. The report found that imposing a 10% tariff on Canadian imports (a level previously suggested by President Trump) would cost Canadians and Americans each $1,100 ($800, £615) a year. I calculated that it would take a while.
According to reports, the Canadian government is in talks with the Trump campaign to exempt Canada if Trump wins the election.
However, not all Canadians have such concerns about President Trump. One Ontario farmer supporting him didn’t want to discuss his record, but said he believes the former president is stronger when it comes to the economy and believes that will benefit Canada. Ta.
For Georgine Burke, leader of the Republican Party’s Canadian overseas branch, it’s no surprise that some Trump supporters don’t talk about him publicly. She says supporting Trump is “not a popular position.”
Recent polls show that Ms. Harris is significantly more popular than Mr. Trump among Canadians.
The USMCA was negotiated in 2018 under President Trump, but is scheduled to be renegotiated in 2026.
With that in mind, Canada’s Innovation, Science and Industry Minister François Champagne told the BBC he was checking US election polls daily.
“Because this is a very important relationship. That’s why I called it this essential relationship, because if you look at it all, you can see how essential we are to each other.” he explains.
In the run-up to the election, Champagne is spending time meeting with American lawmakers from both parties. In his words, “connecting the dots.”
“For example, when I meet with the governor of South Carolina, where our auto sector plants are located, I remind him that many of our critical minerals come from Canada,” he says. “So now everyone understands that we’re working together, not just on security and supply chains, but also on North America’s growth challenges.”
beef farmer dave braden
Lila Abed, an expert on U.S.-Mexico relations, said that no matter the outcome in November, there are “three important topics on the bilateral agenda with Mexico that need immediate attention: immigration, security, and trade.” must be done.”
“This tells us that[Mexican new president]Claudia Sheinbaum has not appointed a Mexican ambassador to the United States,” added Ms. Abed, director of the Wilson Center Mexico Institute, a Washington-based think tank. .
“I don’t think it will be announced until after the U.S. presidential election, because she wants to consider what kind of person she wants in Washington after the results.”
Looking to 2026, Ms. Abed believes renegotiation of the USMCA will focus on US efforts to prevent increased Chinese investment in Mexico.
“What Republicans and Democrats really agree on is that they are trying to block, or are trying to block, Chinese investment in Mexico, which is something that both political parties in the United States are very concerned about. “That’s the thing,” she says.
“While I believe that the tone and policies will naturally differ depending on who wins the White House, I believe that the key issues on the bilateral agenda will remain.”
Additional reporting by Vianey Alderete.
Read more global business and technology stories
Source link Read more related news on Gnews
