With the arrival of Donald trump at the G7 summit in Canada, raised fears about the unity and friendship between America and its Western allies and members of the “Big seven” (Canada, UK, France, Germany, Italy and Japan).
Observers are particularly worried about the sudden rift in relations between Washington and Ottawa. Since the end of world war II American and canadian citizens slept peacefully under the protection deeply integrated with the American and canadian armies. Between the two countries is the longest in the world (5,500 miles) is not guarded border.
When trump introduced customs duties on canadian steel and aluminum in the last month, the government of Canada was really stunned. Even more striking was the motivation duties trump: the White house explained your step is a threat to national security. According to the Minister of defense of Canada harjit Sajjan is “absurd excuse”.
Canada is between the USA and any potential military threat from the North, as, for example, an air attack by Russia or North Korea. The United States and Canada have not only integrated the armed forces, but closely cooperating intelligence services. The militaries of both countries are jointly responsible for the aerospace defense of the North American continent (NORAD).
“Import duties are a challenge long-standing partnership in security between Canada and the United States,” – said Deputy Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau. In addition, according to him, they insult the memory of thousands of Canadians who “died together with their American comrades-in-arms”.
In Canada, anti-globalization protestors blocked the road that leads to the town of La Malbaie. There is the summit “the Big seven”. Within an hour, the demonstrators held back the traffic police then unblocked the movement. On a graph of G7 leaders, the incident has not affected.
Some experts fear that customs fees may have a negative impact on vital military communications. “If you see that your closest ally is no longer your friend and is taking punitive measures against you, you also begin to redefine the relationship in the field of security” – said the former President of the Association of canadian studies in the United States Kenneth Holland.
To understand the dangers threatening the relations in the field of security between the two countries, it is important to understand their economic ties. Canada is the second largest trading partner of the United States, after China and the largest market for agriculture in America. While trade with China dominates the headlines, Canada is a more important partner for most of the American States (to be precise, for 36).
The main industrial sectors of both countries, especially by car, to such an extent integrated, CEOs have begun to assess their supply chain, in order to find out how of import duty on goods crossing the border of USA and Canada, can affect them.
The American car company “has created a smooth supply chain across Canada and the USA”, says the Director of the consulting firm Albright Stonebridge Group Nick Anstett. According to him, today from Windsor (Ontario) to Detroit (mi) there is a “do one common zone of development”.
Duties trump for steel and aluminum are considered by some experts on international trade as an attempt to gain powerful leverage in the negotiations on NAFTA. Canada, Mexico and the United States are currently engaged in very difficult negotiations on a new trade agreement.
It’s hard to call this tactic the right.
“Negotiating with a gun to his temple is not usually a good result, especially when negotiations are public,” – said Carlos Gutierrez, Secretary of Commerce in the George W. Bush administration.
“The idea that we are some kind of threat to US national security, inherently absurd”, – says senior analyst of the canadian Institute of global relations David Perry.
The question of journalists about the possible consequences for bilateral security the representative of the Pentagon had forwarded to the White house, where he said that the duties will have “zero impact.” “I don’t think it’s in any way worsen our relations,” – said the official representative of national security Council, both countries are “too interconnected”.
The tramp did not seem very alarmed at the possible consequences: in the last 24 hours he ridiculed Trudeau for his “incredible discontent,” threatened new duties and offered again to include in the G7 Russia.
Since coming to power, trump always makes US allies to spend more money on defense. Last year, the Trudeau government announced an increase in its military spending, which was seen as a step towards the White house. The canadian Navy is also planning to increase its presence in the Pacific to coordinate with the U.S. military containment of China in the South China sea.
“After entering the duties of all of this is under threat – says Kenneth Holland. – Why Canada needs to spend a lot of money, and then becomes the object of reproach?”