Team North America
Louise Blais and Goldy Hyder highlight the importance of moving past trade irritants and building a more competitive North America. A joint open letter to government leaders and their perspectives were featured by several news outlets in coverage of the North American Leaders Summit (NALS) in Mexico City.
“I’m expecting both the Mexican president and the Canadian prime minister to raise this issue with the president to say, ‘Look, we need to have a more continental approach to some of these policies.”
Louise Blais, Senior Special Advisor, Business Council of Canada
“We need to elevate ourselves from the ground-floor debates about trade irritants. We’re operating in an environment in which trade is on trial, in many places. Globalization is on trial in many places. We need to make a case for trade and how it benefits people.”
Goldy Hyder, CEO and President, Business Council of Canada
“The goal for Canada is probably to carve out some attention and space at this summit.”
Louise Blais, Senior Special Advisor, Business Council of Canada
“We want to make sure that the three leaders recognize the importance of really taking the perspective of a team North America approach.”
Goldy Hyder, CEO and President, Business Council of Canada
“[Canada, Mexico and the United States have an] unprecedented opportunity to position North America as the world’s leading producer of electric vehicles (EVs)”, but it will only succeed if all countries work together “to overcome shortages of key raw materials, encourage investment in new manufacturing capacity, and make it easier for consumers to purchase EVs.”
“Far too often, we’ve acted as either three independent countries or two bilateral relationships. In today’s world, that is going to leave us behind.”
Goldy Hyder, CEO and President, Business Council of Canada
“[As for Canada, the goal is simply] “to carve some attention and space in this summit.”
Louise Blais, Senior Special Advisor, Business Council of Canada
“The expectation is that we raise our ambitions here in North America. We’re a very important trading bloc and one that really has a lot of potential…I’m very happy to see coming out of the meeting today a sense of wanting to align industrial policy, so enhanced manufacturing but across the continental space.”
Louise Blais, Senior Special Advisor, Business Council of Canada
“The three pillars of the relationship will only be as strong until the Canada-Mexico pillar has been reinforced.”
Louise Blais, Senior Special Advisor, Business Council of Canada
“Let North America realize that we’re going be stronger if we fight this fight together.”
Goldy Hyder, CEO and President, Business Council of Canada
“I think we have succeeded at convincing the Americans to look to their own continental partners, but we have to continue to push that.”
Louise Blais, Senior Special Advisor, Business Council of Canada
“I mean, let’s not be naïve, but there is a sense that maybe there is hope that we can resolve this.”
Louise Blais, Senior Special Advisor, Business Council of Canada
