20. NAFTA/USMCA Battles: Rewriting Economic Rules
NAFTA transformed continental commerce after 1994, tripling trade to $1.2 trillion annually. When Trump demanded renegotiation in 2017, Canada faced devastating potential tariffs. The contentious 13-month negotiations featured personal insults, leaked phone calls, and economic threats. Auto content requirements, dispute resolution mechanisms, and dairy market access caused major friction. The eventual USMCA agreement preserved most economic relationships, though with concessions that left many Canadians unhappy.
