America’s tariff response was only a matter of time

Dear Editor:
Canada’s trade war with the United States is a disaster that was just waiting to happen. Canada’s exports to America are a shocking 77 per cent. How could successive Canadian governments get into such a situation to be so dependant on the USA for its prosperity?
Canada’s exports should have been diversified a long time ago, but we became so complacent by living with the norm. We had our wonderful big brother to depend on. Well norm just flew out the window.
When Trump said Canada was ripping off the USA, unfortunately he was right. Consider these stats. Canada’s exports to America brings back $14,000 per person allowing generous pensions and free health care among other things. The USA benefits $1,050 per person from selling to Canada. That’s a 13-fold difference. All America needed was someone to come along with a strong mandate to challenge the status quo. And that’s the situation we have found ourselves in because we have no leaders that have any kind of vision for international markets other than the USA.
George Kennedy
CBS