Canada every day she kicks out more willingly Mexico T-MEK. All because of the rise of Canadian nationalism and populism, materialized by the head of the Ontario government, Doug Ford, and the lackadaisical attitude of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Diplomatic sources in Ottawa reported this. EFE that Canadian politicians are currently interested in spreading a provocative message that makes Mexico a problem for North American tradeuntil Donald Trump returns to the presidency of the United States on January 20, 2025.

Another diplomat suggests Canada’s strategy will be part of the negotiating tactics ahead of the trade deal renegotiation in 2026, with the aim of extracting painful concessions as Leaving a Latin American country is ‘almost impossible’ given the economic interconnections that exist in the region.

But there are also experts who believe that the approach of Canadian politicians is not a ploy and that the original North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which included Mexico in 1994 in an agreement that already existed between Canada and the United States, there were a lot of ill-wishers.

The car is the key

University of Toronto politics professor emeritus Nelson Wiseman recalled this Friday in a statement to EFE What He wasn’t surprised by Ford’s offer. nor the support he received from other provincial heads of government.

“It didn’t surprise me because Canada did not support expansion of NAFTA in 1994 when Mexico joined. Since then, Canada’s auto industry has lost out to Mexico,” Wiseman said.

The scientist added that “Ottawa is not opposed to Mexico remaining in the agreement as long as it does not come at Canada’s expense.”

The auto industry is key to the controversy.

On November 12, Doug Ford emphasized that although the US and Canada have already announced that they will apply 100 percent tariffs on Chinese cars, Not only has Mexico not done so, but it is opening the door so that the producers of the Asian giant settle on its territory.

“If Mexico wants to have a bilateral trade agreement with Canada, God bless them, but I won’t let them drown me with these cheap imports. it’s taking jobs away from men and women in Ontario,” he said.

Trudeau, open to everything

The main proponent of the USMCA in Canada so far has been the ruling Liberal Party and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

But his low popularity in polls, which leaves him trailing the opposition Conservative Party by more than 20 points, has left Trudeau and the Liberals take more nationalist and populist positions.

You might be interested > Sheinbaum says Trudeau “does not agree” to Mexico’s exclusion from T-MEC

Although Liberal MPs contacted EFE They refuse to comment on possible expulsion from Mexico. On Thursday, Trudeau gave a lukewarm defense of the current trade deal. noting that while T-MEC is a “success” for the three countries, it does not dismiss any possibility.

“We leave the door open because my job is and always will be to protect Canadian workers, to protect the Canadian economy, to protect Canadian interests,” he said in one of his most nationalist messages in years.

This would not be the first time in recent months that Trudeau has implemented policies he has criticized in the past.

Without going into detail, in February of this year Canada visas again required for visitors from Mexicoa controversial measure that was introduced in 2009 by the government of Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper and which Trudeau repealed once he came to power in late 2015.

You might be interested > Ideally, continue T-MEC, it depends on Mexico’s decisions: Trudeau

An additional factor will be what happens in the next Canadian general election, scheduled for late 2025 but which They can be promoted at any time because the Trudeau government is in the minority in the lower house of parliament.

Populist Pierre Poilievre, the Conservative leader who has a good chance of becoming Canada’s next leader, said that “he will fight fire with fire” if Trump imposes tariffs on Canada. Something that could be the finishing touch to T-MEC. (EFE)