Christopher Sands

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau left Ottawa on Monday for his first official visit to China. The trip is an important one for both governments, each eager for an improvement in bilateral relations. The United States, the largest economic and strategic partner for both, has an important stake in the outcome too.

The annals of U.S. trade relations with Canada, our largest trading partner, include a recurring dispute over softwood lumber: the kind of pine boards used mainly in construction and home improvement, as well as for paper. And a new dispute is looming at a very awkward time for the United States.

Since coming to Washington, D.C. from Detroit in 1991, I have watched seven U.S. presidential elections up close. NAFTA has been an issue in every one of them, with at least one candidate opposed to U.S. participation. Yet 2016 is the first time that both major party candidates have been NAFTA critics, with Hillary Clinton retracting her past support and Donald Trump calling for renegotiation or withdrawal for the agreement that has, for 22 years now, fueled economic prosperity and trade growth… Show more

Since coming to Washington, D.C. from Detroit in 1991, I have watched seven U.S. presidential elections up close. NAFTA has been an issue in every one of them, with at least one candidate opposed to U.S. participation. Yet 2016 is the first time that both major party candidates have been NAFTA critics, with Hillary Clinton retracting her past support and Donald Trump calling for renegotiation or withdrawal for the agreement that has, for 22 years now, fueled economic prosperity and trade growth among the United States, Canada and Mexico. Show less

The photos were revealing: European Union leaders meeting in Brussels on June 29 to discuss the British exit from the EU looked glum, angry, and downcast; the North American leaders meeting in Ottawa were smiling, energized and upbeat. As Donald Trump might say, the Europeans looked like losers, and the North American looked like winners.

Behind the appearances, I took five things away from the North American Leaders Summit.

President Barack Obama travels to Ottawa on June 29 for his final North American Leaders Summit (NALS) and the first NALS with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada. The meeting comes at a critical moment in the North American partnership among the United States, Canada, and Mexico. In addition to the current high temperature of the political debate in the U.S. election campaign about relations with Mexico and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the challenging issues in the… Show more

President Barack Obama travels to Ottawa on June 29 for his final North American Leaders Summit (NALS) and the first NALS with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada. The meeting comes at a critical moment in the North American partnership among the United States, Canada, and Mexico. In addition to the current high temperature of the political debate in the U.S. election campaign about relations with Mexico and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the challenging issues in the partnership have managed to steal the spotlight fairly consistently over the past few years, since the last NALS meeting in 2014. Show less

Canada's Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Navdeep Bains came to Washington to learn more about what the United States is doing right when it comes to fostering innovation. The Howell and Wolff report, which the Canadian American Business Council has endorsed, includes a reminder for U.S. policymakers: U.S. firms benefit every day from Canadian innovation, and integrated North American supply chains that connect high-tech industries such as aerospace, automobiles… Show more

Canada's Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Navdeep Bains came to Washington to learn more about what the United States is doing right when it comes to fostering innovation. The Howell and Wolff report, which the Canadian American Business Council has endorsed, includes a reminder for U.S. policymakers: U.S. firms benefit every day from Canadian innovation, and integrated North American supply chains that connect high-tech industries such as aerospace, automobiles, pharmaceuticals and software. Canadians can innovate. But if Canadian innovators struggle, it can hold both countries back
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It is time for politicians in the United States to stop whining and begin engaging more constructively and in new ways with allies on defense. Canada is a good place to start.

When does Canadian prudence in resource development drift toward complacency, and lost opportunities? There is a fine line here that crosses the Canadian national character. It may also circumscribe Canada's ability to reach its economic potential.

Many see the final year of a presidency–particularly a two-term presidency–as unproductive. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau demonstrated in his visi to Washingtont, however, that Canada is not giving up on the Obama administration.

Less than six months after leading his Liberal Party to a decisive victory over Stephen Harper’s Conservatives, 44-year old Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visits Washington, D.C. for meetings and a formal State Dinner March 10 hosted by President Barack Obama. The visit will be more symbolic than substantive as is typical for state visits – that is one reason why Harper opted for working meetings with U.S. presidents George W. Bush and Obama.