The chair of the Alberta Canola Commission says it’s been an unpredictable last few months, and the trade tensions with the United States are part of the reason why. “Right now, we are being faced with instability,” said Andre Harpe. Canada walked away from trade talks with the United States on Aug. 22, with Prime Minister Mark Carney noting there were a few things that were brought in by the American negotiators at various points that made a deal untenable “The US introduced in the last hours efforts to restrict our ability to do other trade deals,” said Carney. The move led the Trump administration to lash out with 50 per cent tariffs on wide range of Canadian goods, with President Donald Trump lashing out at a wide range of Canada and Canadian industries on social media. In one of those posts, Trump falsely claimed that Canadian tariffs on American farmers and farm products cause great problems. “It’s always having to battle with misinformation,” said Harpe. “Right now, canola is, for the most part, does have free trade. It has been, it was always under CUSMA, the current agreement we have.” While canola prices are holding strong at over $18/bushel, conditions across the globe have seen prices for other commodities skyrocket, including oil and gas. Prices have fluctuated wildly since the United States commenced a war in iran earlier this year, with prices in the Edmonton area around the 1.70/litre mark. Combine that with a summer full of rain, foreign tariffs from China and the United States, Harpe says it’s been a rollercoaster of a year. “With our neighbours to the south, it just boils down to straight instability,” said Harpe. What happens next is unknown. Premier Danielle Smith said that while there’s no imminent retaliatory measure or aid coming, she’s hopeful the trade dispute between Canada and the United States can work things out. Harpe has that same hope. “it sounds really crazy to hope for world peace,” said Harpe. “We need to start working together to make this country a better place, but you know what, it is to make the world a little bit more peaceful.” David Boles, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, St. Albert Gazette
