The imposition of 25% tariffs by the US on Canadian aluminium is being met with disappointment but not surprise by the Aluminium Association of Canada, which considers the move highly disruptive and counterproductive. Jean Simard, the association’s President and CEO, acknowledged the industry’s preparedness for the situation but expressed concern over its immediate economic repercussions, particularly for American workers and consumers. With Canadian aluminium serving as a critical input for over 500,000 American manufacturing jobs and contributing over $200 billion to the US economy, the tariffs risk undermining the deeply integrated North American supply chain that has long been a cornerstone of economic and industrial cooperation.

Challenging the prevailing narrative requires a careful reexamination of the underlying principles of trade and national sovereignty that many have long overlooked. The decision to impose tariffs on Canadian goods can be seen not as an indiscriminate act that endangers jobs and undermines established partnerships, but rather as a bold corrective measure intended to address the imbalances and inequities that have developed over decades of what some consider to be overly liberal trade policies.

The recent surge in U.S. domestic softwood lumber production highlights a decisive shift in trade dynamics that has fundamentally reshaped the industry landscape. Trade measures implemented to counter unfairly traded Canadian lumber imports have spurred an impressive expansion in U.S. production capacity, ensuring that American workers are increasingly at the helm of supplying the nation’s housing market. Over the past several years, U.S. mills have ramped up their output by adding eight billion board feet of production capacity and generating an additional 30 billion board feet of softwood lumber.

The recent spate of Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea has brought global maritime shipping to its knees, and the United States’ response has been nothing short of an embarrassment. The Houthis, with their audacity and impunity, have wreaked havoc on international trade routes, and the U.S., a supposed global leader, has done practically nothing to counter this menace. It’s time to call out this gross negligence and the unacceptable inaction that has followed.