WASHINGTON, DC + OTTAWA, ON (January 15, 2026):
The resurgence of protectionism is undermining the prosperity and food security of Americans and Canadians alike.
The United States and Canada face a clear choice: maintain the mutually destructive status quo, or pursue a durable reset of their economic relationship that can secure prosperity for all.
In their report for the Center for North American Prosperity and Security (CNAPS,) Growing prosperity: How agrifood can anchor a new “Grand Bargain” between the United States and Canada, Larry Martin and Zana Kruja call for a new and comprehensive approach to agriculture that goes beyond a narrow US-Canada trade treaty:
“Agrifood is a fundamental component of the long-standing relationship between the United States and Canada,” explain Martin and Kruja.
“The US and Canada have a tremendous opportunity to make agrifood a major component of a broader ‘Grand Bargain’… Success will bring greater prosperity, stability, and security to both nations – while failure will mean a continuation of the mutually destructive path we are currently treading.”
Martin and Kruja highlight four key areas where closer cooperation would help to reduce costs, stabilize prices, and strengthen resilience for producers and consumers across North America:
- Agricultural risk management;
- Potash supply;
- Dairy and poultry supply management;
- and the harmonization of food and safety regulations.
“Allies for nearly two centuries in times of both war and peace, Canada and the United States could reap an incredible bounty of prosperity and security – if only they would cease with divisive policies and instead work together for a far greater mutual harvest,” conclude Martin and Kruja.
“The leaders of the United States and Canada have the opportunity to create a better tomorrow for all North Americans – they just need the courage and foresight to seize it.”
To learn more, read the full paper here:
Larry Martin is a principal in Dr. Larry Martin & Associates (DLM), a management training and consulting company. He was professor and chair in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Business at the University of Guelph and CEO of the George Morris Centre, an independent national think tank on agricultural issues and policies.
Zana Kruja holds a PhD in Applied Economics (Virginia Tech) and a CPA designation (CPA Ontario). Her forte is data mining, analysis, and synthesis in support of recommendations for major decisions in the corporate world.
For further information, media are invited to contact:
Skander Belouizdad
Communications Officer
(613) 482-8327 x111
Skander.belouizdad@macdonaldlaurier.ca
