Trump’s bridge threat heralds pain and turmoil for USMCA talks

Lawrence Herman/The Globe and Mail: Instead of equal players around the negotiating table, what may emerge at the USMCA talks is a situation where the U.S. asserts itself as the undeniable economic giant, a hegemonic bully with the largest and most lucrative market in the world, and Canada and Mexico being lesser players, facing demands for new America-centric trade deal.

The conclusion is that whether the formal USMCA review process is adhered to or not, we will be into a difficult renegotiation period with the Americans with no specific end date and one that could easily deteriorate into acrimonious confrontation…