The numbers I have seen indicate that the average Canadian purchases approximately $9,800 USD worth of products made in the US while the average US resident purchases approximately $1,500 USD worth of Canadian goods.
American’s don’t understand why Canadian lumber is better for building a house – so let them watch houses start getting warped walls in 7 years instead of 25 or longer (hint: old growth timber in cold climates produces a harder pine stud than a fast growing US grown pine tree).
Americans also don’t understand that the refineries that make gas from Canadian crude oil can’t just switch to light Saudi Arabian crude oil so that the the US companies are dependent upon Canadian crude and have to shut down or convert their refineries.
The idea that we can just stop being partners will hurt US companies more than Canadian in the globalized world we live in giving Canada the option to buy products made in Europe or Brazil instead of US.
The United States needs the billions of dollars in tourism and travel revenue that Canadians contribute to the US economy. Many of the MAGAs who voted for Trump whose revenue depends of Canadians who spend the winter and early spring in Florida are facing foreclosure because the Canadians are spending the winter in the Caribbean or Latin America.
Unlike hard products like cars, lumber and energy that can be subject to tariffs, travel is immune from tariffs and businesses that depend on Canadians visiting Disneyland/Disneyworld, Jazzfest, the Chicago Blues Festival and the many other Spring, Summer and fall festivals, Canadian hockey fans and other events Canadians regularly attend will lose millions, if not billions in revenue.
The US isn’t subsidizing Canada. Canada is our closest friend and ally, and is deeply integrated into our economy, making us stronger and our products more competitive internationally and cheaper domestically.
In the best case scenario. The tax on canadian timber will make housing more expensive and the tax on Canadian steel and aluminum will make US exports of cars and aircraft much less competitive and cost American jobs.
This is a huge giveaway to China, who will gladly grab our overseas markets, to the EU, where Airbus will finish off Boeing, and to Russia, who will sell us more wood.
And it further cements the US status as an unreliable partner and a friend to nobody.
