This is what IQ47 gets for micromanaging all his people. Even if his people let him know how close Mexico and Canada are getting, he doesn’t respect either country, and feels he can “get to us later,” after he’s done with Iran. Actually, I’m amazed he is still focused on Iran. I didn’t think his attention span would last this long.
Barb, one thing I’ve noticed over the last year is that countries are starting to behave less like “junior partners” and more like adults who realize they’d better have backup plans.
Canada and Mexico aren’t suddenly becoming anti-American.
They’re becoming cautious.
Big difference.
And honestly, when Washington swings between tariff threats, trade fights, foreign conflicts, and election-cycle chaos...
other countries naturally start strengthening relationships with partners they see as more predictable.
That’s just survival logic.
What’s interesting is how fast Canada–Mexico cooperation has accelerated lately...
major bilateral trade missions
hundreds of companies participating
thousands of business meetings
new investment agreements
long-term economic action plans already underway
That’s not emotional politics.
That’s strategic positioning.
And you’re probably right about one thing...
when leadership gets consumed by one crisis after another, quieter shifts elsewhere can get underestimated until suddenly the landscape has already changed.
I would be happier to have stronger ties with Mexico merely for the food. We are lacking for real authentic Mexican Restaurants in Canada. I'd like to see more.
Great article that keeps us in the US informed of economic activities in the Americas other than the Iranian mess Trump has gotten us into that does nothing but make the oil companies richer while bloating gas prices at the pump.
Carole, I think a lot of Americans are hungry for exactly that right now...
context outside the constant outrage loop.
Because while the media spotlight stays locked on conflict, threats, and political theatre… major economic shifts are still happening underneath all of it.
Countries are restructuring supply chains.
Building new alliances.
Locking down resources.
Securing manufacturing capacity.
Reducing vulnerability.
That stuff rarely gets treated like “breaking news,” but it’s the machinery that shapes the next decade.
And honestly, ordinary Americans are stuck carrying the cost when geopolitical chaos gets mixed with energy markets.
Higher fuel prices hit workers, families, transport, groceries...
basically everything downstream.
That’s why I keep paying attention to the quieter moves.
Sometimes the real story isn’t the shouting.
It’s who’s calmly building alternatives while everyone else is distracted.
There has been a shift in perception of Canadians in Mexico. Before we were all gringos norteamericanos, no matter how simpatico we thought we were with the gerentes, camareros, empleados, músicos y conocidos. Now Mexicans actually want to visit our country, meet us where we are, acknowledge our difference to the American philosophy, and feel the synergy of our most deeply felt values. In other words, they are starting to see us a a distinct people. That wasn't the case before.
This is what IQ47 gets for micromanaging all his people. Even if his people let him know how close Mexico and Canada are getting, he doesn’t respect either country, and feels he can “get to us later,” after he’s done with Iran. Actually, I’m amazed he is still focused on Iran. I didn’t think his attention span would last this long.
Barb, one thing I’ve noticed over the last year is that countries are starting to behave less like “junior partners” and more like adults who realize they’d better have backup plans.
Canada and Mexico aren’t suddenly becoming anti-American.
They’re becoming cautious.
Big difference.
And honestly, when Washington swings between tariff threats, trade fights, foreign conflicts, and election-cycle chaos...
other countries naturally start strengthening relationships with partners they see as more predictable.
That’s just survival logic.
What’s interesting is how fast Canada–Mexico cooperation has accelerated lately...
major bilateral trade missions
hundreds of companies participating
thousands of business meetings
new investment agreements
long-term economic action plans already underway
That’s not emotional politics.
That’s strategic positioning.
And you’re probably right about one thing...
when leadership gets consumed by one crisis after another, quieter shifts elsewhere can get underestimated until suddenly the landscape has already changed.
I would be happier to have stronger ties with Mexico merely for the food. We are lacking for real authentic Mexican Restaurants in Canada. I'd like to see more.
Eric, honestly… that might end up being the most popular trade agreement in North American history. 😄
Canada absolutely has Mexican food places…
but a lot of them still feel like “Tex-Mex through a snowstorm.”
The real stuff?
The regional cooking.
The sauces.
The street food.
The slow-cooked meats.
The fresh tortillas that ruin grocery-store tortillas forever once you’ve had them?
Different universe entirely.
And culturally, stronger ties usually bring more than trade statistics.
They bring people, restaurants, ideas, music, investment, tourism, and familiarity.
That’s how countries stop feeling abstract to each other.
Honestly, one of the underrated things about Canada becoming more connected globally is that everyday life gets richer too.
Better food might sound trivial…
until you realize food is one of the fastest ways people learn to actually like each other.
Great article that keeps us in the US informed of economic activities in the Americas other than the Iranian mess Trump has gotten us into that does nothing but make the oil companies richer while bloating gas prices at the pump.
Carole, I think a lot of Americans are hungry for exactly that right now...
context outside the constant outrage loop.
Because while the media spotlight stays locked on conflict, threats, and political theatre… major economic shifts are still happening underneath all of it.
Countries are restructuring supply chains.
Building new alliances.
Locking down resources.
Securing manufacturing capacity.
Reducing vulnerability.
That stuff rarely gets treated like “breaking news,” but it’s the machinery that shapes the next decade.
And honestly, ordinary Americans are stuck carrying the cost when geopolitical chaos gets mixed with energy markets.
Higher fuel prices hit workers, families, transport, groceries...
basically everything downstream.
That’s why I keep paying attention to the quieter moves.
Sometimes the real story isn’t the shouting.
It’s who’s calmly building alternatives while everyone else is distracted.
There has been a shift in perception of Canadians in Mexico. Before we were all gringos norteamericanos, no matter how simpatico we thought we were with the gerentes, camareros, empleados, músicos y conocidos. Now Mexicans actually want to visit our country, meet us where we are, acknowledge our difference to the American philosophy, and feel the synergy of our most deeply felt values. In other words, they are starting to see us a a distinct people. That wasn't the case before.
Maria, that’s actually a really important observation... and I think you’re right.
For years, a lot of Canadians travelling abroad got lumped into the same “North American” bucket whether we liked it or not. Same language.
Same media ecosystem. Same corporations everywhere. To many people, we probably looked like Americans wearing quieter jackets.
But the last few years changed something.
Canada’s response to global issues, diplomacy, healthcare, immigration, trade, climate policy, even the tone of public debate...
all of it started creating visible separation internationally.
And honestly, I think the tariff chaos and aggressive rhetoric coming out of Washington accelerated that distinction dramatically.
People notice behaviour.
Countries do too.
Mexico especially understands the difference between transactional relationships and respectful partnerships.
That matters culturally. A lot.
What you’re describing feels less like branding…
and more like identity finally becoming visible from the outside.
Canada and Mexico are building deals and Trump is building a Ballroom Arches and a wall between America and the Free World.
Thank You, great article 🙏. Bravo 🇲🇽 y 🇨🇦 👏👏👏
Looking forward to Mexican frozen foods and convenience foods!
Miigwech 😊🪶❤️🇨🇦
Thank you for this
Thank you for this.
All idiots if you think canada and Mexico have the upper hand