Grainswest - Fall 2025

Fall 2025 grainswest.com 25 In August, rookie ag minister Heath MacDonald conducted a seven-day blitz of Indonesia, the Philippines and Singapore, accompanied by CEOs of virtually every major Canadian farm association to demonstrate the country means business. After the trip, which included meetings with each nation’s ag minister as well as ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn, MacDonald emphasized Canada’s commitment to the region. “Our farmers and food processors work tirelessly to produce reliable, high-quality and safe food,” he said. “Because of the reputation they’ve helped build, more countries are choosing our products, and we’re absolutely focused on creating more opportunities for them by increasing and diversifying our exports, moving forward on new free trade agreements and raising the profile of the Canada brand worldwide, especially in areas like the Indo-Pacific.” Opportunity also beckons threats. Many Indo-Pacific countries are locked in regional disputes and have long- standing civil unrest. The top country Canada will maintain a watchful eye on in all of these international trade expansions is China, which it labels an increasingly disruptive global power. This plan proclaims it won’t tolerate the Asian superpower’s underhanded tactics, no matter the scenario. “In areas of profound disagreement, we will challenge China, including when it engages in coercive behaviour— economic or otherwise—ignores human rights obligations or undermines our national security interests and those of partners in the region,” reads the strategy. It adds China has long been a beneficiary of rules-based international order in the advancement of its own interests but now sees fit to reinterpret the rules to further benefit itself. Canada’s stance is that the rules must be respected to allow governments to solve shared problems. To strengthen and deepen ties in the region, it produced five strategic goals: Promote peace, resilience and security; Expand trade, investment and supply chain resilience; Invest in and connect people; Build a sustainable and green future; and, Canada as an active and engaged partner to the Indo-Pacific. The report ends on an optimistic note that arguably Canada’s No. 1 play lies due west. “Canada is looking out at the horizon of the Indo-Pacific future with a clear view of the shared prosperity that lies ahead for Canadians and for people throughout the Indo-Pacific region. By engaging and investing in partnership, we will secure a better future for all.” In addition to not waiting around while the U.S. flip flops on tariffs, Carney issued a joint statement with EU leaders in June along with a 22-point manifesto to deepen ties to the EU that covers everything from defence to food. At home, part of Carney’s Bill C-5, the Building Canada Act , is focused on nation building projects, which includes expansion at the Port of Montreal and doubling LNG production in Kitimat, B.C. The purpose of the Act is to enhance Canada’s prosperity, national security, economic security, defence and autonomy by ensuring projects that are in the national interest, according to the federal government, are completed. The crux of the entire Act, however, is to do everything very quickly. At present, it appears Canada is trying to concurrently insulate itself from tariff pain and maintain already-exempted CUSMA goods with the same status. Time will tell if this is tangible or laughable. “In the face of global trade challenges, including unwarranted tariffs from the United States, the Government of Canada remains committed to expanding and diversifying Canadian trade for resilient growth in the world economy of both today and tomorrow,” said Babcock. “Because of the reputation they’ve helped build, more countries are choosing our products, and we’re absolutely focused on creating more opportunities for them by increasing and diversifying our exports.” —HeathMacDonald