Les,

Very interesting comments - thanks for responding. Your work history shows just how detailed and complicated the economy is and how it can all be buggered up with simple minded policies like tariffs. I definitely feel for you.

However, my experience with Americans is that we are simply not on the radar there and won't be, unless it is in a negative sense. The only real leverage we have is in energy products or in non-economic areas like shared security or defense.

One way to make people "feel the pain" is to instigate export tariffs on energy, since Trump has already shown his hand with a lower 10% tariff rate. A higher rate on our side would increase US costs but also runs the risk of further US retaliation.

I see the coming problem as a loss US of market share and so to me, the best policies are ones where Canadian business works on increasing market share elsewhere. Tariffs are taxes and the only certainty is that more of them will mostly act to reduce trade and jobs.

By the way, I think my comments are applicable to all business since the tariff war is set up to affect all traded products in both directions across the border. I truly hope you are able to successfully navigate these challenges to your business.