Allies Must Balance ‘Friendshoring’ With Opening Trade: US Chamber of Commerce Head

U.S. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Suzanne Clark delivers a speech in Ottawa on April 19, 2023. The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick

United States chambers of commerce are pushing Washington and Ottawa to strike the right balance between protecting supply chains and maintaining free trade across the continent.

The head of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, said in a speech this morning in Ottawa that Washington will only make life more expensive and business more challenging if it doubles down on protectionist policies.

Clark also argues that the American policy of “friendshoring,” which holds that allies should rely on each other to make supply chains more resilient, could have the opposite effect if it’s applied to more than just goods and services that pose considerations for national security.

The chamber also wants Ottawa to open up Canada’s protected dairy sector, and to halt taxes and regulations on American digital companies such as Netflix and Google.

Clark praised Canada for signing onto new trade deals with Europe and countries along the Pacific Rim, saying Washington is being short-sighted by staying in the negotiation phase for new deals and renegotiating existing agreements over the past decade.

She is expected to meet with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau this afternoon.