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Canada-Mexico Trade: An Arranged Marriage Comes of Age

Laura Dawson

Canada Institute Director Laura Dawson recommends that Canada should prioritize trade partnerships with the U.S. and Mexico as an immediate strategy to advance their role in the regional supply chain. Instead of looking for free-trade deals in emerging, more distant markets, Canada should focus on trade and expanding markets closer to home. Canada’s NAFTA trade has been on the decline for the past 15 years, but Dawson makes the case for intensifying Canada’s trading relationship with Mexico. The Mexican market is thriving, Dawson says, with a large and growing consumer base, increasing enrollment in higher education and high economic growth rates that make it one of the most burgeoning emerging markets in the world. Although there are obstacles that stand in the way of a deeper trade relationship, such as disagreements over visa restrictions and the lack of political will, a closer trade engagement with Mexico holds a great deal of promise to provide the greatest rewards at the lowest risk.

Canada-Mexico Trade: An Arranged Marriage Comes of Age

Canada Institute Director Laura Dawson recommends that Canada should prioritize trade partnerships with the U.S. and Mexico as an immediate strategy to advance their role in the regional supply chain. Instead of looking for free-trade deals in emerging, more distant markets, Canada should focus on trade and expanding markets closer to home. Canada’s NAFTA trade has been on the decline for the past 15 years, but Dawson makes the case for intensifying Canada’s trading relationship with Mexico. The Mexican market is thriving, Dawson says, with a large and growing consumer base, increasing enrollment in higher education and high economic growth rates that make it one of the most burgeoning emerging markets in the world. Although there are obstacles that stand in the way of a deeper trade relationship, such as disagreements over visa restrictions and the lack of political will, a closer trade engagement with Mexico holds a great deal of promise to provide the greatest rewards at the lowest risk. 

Laura's related article in the National Post.

About the Author

Laura Dawson

Laura Dawson

Former Fellow and Former Director, Canada Institute;
Executive Director, Future Borders Coalition
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Canada Institute

The mission of the Wilson Center's Canada Institute is to raise the level of knowledge of Canada in the United States, particularly within the Washington, DC policy community.  Research projects, initiatives, podcasts, and publications cover contemporary Canada, US-Canadian relations, North American political economy, and Canada's global role as it intersects with US national interests.  Read more

Mexico Institute

The Mexico Institute seeks to improve understanding, communication, and cooperation between Mexico and the United States by promoting original research, encouraging public discussion, and proposing policy options for enhancing the bilateral relationship. A binational Advisory Board, chaired by Luis Téllez and Earl Anthony Wayne, oversees the work of the Mexico Institute.   Read more