The US-Canada auto trade dispute has officially entered its villain-origin-story phase. Mark Carney, Canada’s incoming finance minister, has accused Trump of wanting to “destroy” the Canadian auto industry—which is technically true, but also a bit like accusing someone of wanting to eat your sandwich when they’re already holding a fork to it. Trump, not to be outdone, has threatened higher tariffs. Carney responded by saying he will only resume talks if the US shows up with the “right attitude.”
Let us pause here. We are now at a point where two of North America’s most powerful economic figures are negotiating like divorced parents fighting over custody of a Honda Civic. One is threatening tariffs; the other is making demands about vibes. This is not a trade war anymore. This is a reality show where the prize is an economic recession and nobody wins.
The absurdity runs deeper. Canada’s auto sector employs hundreds of thousands of people. American automakers depend on integrated North American supply chains that make tariffs economically nonsensical—they punish US manufacturers as much as Canadian ones. But logic left the room the moment someone decided that “attitude” was a negotiating position.
What matters to you: if this escalates, car prices go up. Parts get more expensive. Supply chains fracture. Your next vehicle costs more, and the one you have takes longer to repair. Neither side wins. Both sides lose. And somewhere in a boardroom, an economist is quietly weeping into a spreadsheet.
The only winning move is not to play. But they will keep playing anyway.