CANADALAND Carney Brokers a "Mega Anti-Trump Alliance"
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Feb 24, 2026 
Sam Konnert, Ottawa reporter covering federal politics and defence procurement. Stuart Trew, trade researcher at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. They discuss Mark Carney’s push to build a 40‑country anti‑Trump trade bloc. They unpack Canada’s new Defence Industrial Strategy with 70% Canadian content and big growth targets. They debate trade deal limits, procurement slowdowns, and risks of maple‑washing.
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New Trade Deals Yield Tiny Economic Gains
- Additional free trade agreements now produce marginal GDP gains because tariffs and trade liberalization are already widespread.
- Stuart Trew cites Canada's Indonesia deal as an example, with a projected GDP gain of just 0.012% and roughly $200 million in long-term export growth.
Deals Can Increase Imports More Than High-Value Exports
- Trade agreements often raise import volumes more than high-value domestic exports, worsening manufacturing decline.
- Trew points to rising imports of manufactured goods and a trade deficit with EU and Asia-Pacific partners despite rhetoric about diversification.
Export Value Growth Can Mask Low Domestic Benefit
- Rising export values can mask low domestic value added and job creation.
- Trew notes Canada's higher-value exports to Europe include gold and oil, while sectors like dairy face increased competition and harm from imports.