Commentary: Political shifts necessitate broader economic and environmental reflection in our cross-border region.
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There’s a lot of talk about Canada-U.S. relations these days, thanks mostly to President Donald Trump’s move to apply tariffs to exports from up north. Canada had already announced retaliatory measures by the time Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reached a 30-day pause on the new policy, or what the New York Times dubbed “a cliffhanger compromise.” That’s a big deal for North Americans wherever they might be located, but the ramifications of this trade policy whiplash are especially salient here in Cascadia’s borderlands.
Expect the debate to continue. Politicians, economists, union bosses and Chamber of Commerce types are left to ponder the impacts of economic protectionism, from bulk lumber imports to the price of Quebec maple syrup. North of the border, whiskey drinkers are being implored to shift their consumption of Kentucky bourbon to Canadian rye.
Things are almost as dire at the hockey rink. Two weekends ago, in Canada’s national capital of Ottawa, some fans of the Senators National Hockey League club could be heard booing the U.S. national anthem during a Hockey Night in Canada telecast. It was a jarring scene, even by hockey’s rough-and-tumble standards. It didn’t take long for that dynamic to travel west, with the anthem booing continuing at a Vancouver Canucks game against the Detroit Red Wings.
The public handwringing and rhetoric speaks to the biggest immediate impact: the hit to morale for locals engaged in the mostly apolitical enterprise of cross-border retail, tourism and commerce. Communities like Blaine, Sumas and Point Roberts count on a steady flow of visitors from British Columbia who frequent restaurants, shops and gas stations. In Bellingham, Costco and Trader Joe’s have ramped up local operations based on an expected inflow of visitors from British Columbia. And tourism agencies in Vancouver, Seattle and all points in between count on a back-and-forth of shoppers, fun-seekers and outdoors enthusiasts to keep hotels, restaurants and entertainment venues humming. That integration enhances the quality of life for residents of Washington state and B.C.
The vibrancy of these economic and cultural arrangements is not likely to go away. But the negative media stories could hamper our region’s reputation for cross-border cohesion. Part of this anxiety comes in the wake of major leadership changes in both countries. Trudeau’s prime ministership has entered its final months thanks to diminished support from the Canadian electorate, and his successor to lead the next government is still very much unknown. Trump, conversely, is merely weeks into his new term.
Given this dynamic we can expect more flux in the weeks and months ahead. But there is good news. These political shifts practically necessitate broader economic and environmental reflection in our cross-border region.
Instead of dwelling exclusively on trade deals that may or may not be hammered out in the weeks and months ahead, we might widen our attention to already pressing quality of life issues in our shared Cascadia backyard, whether it’s the decline of salmon habitat on the Fraser and Skagit Rivers, or the concerning rise of shipments of crude oil headed to Cherry Point refineries via marine tankers and a vastly expanded Westridge Marine Terminal in Burnaby.
Much of the Cascadia promise historically has been predicated on bioregional heritage. From the Salish Sea to the North Cascades, citizens have taken great pride in the area’s sprawling and often breathtaking natural splendor. Yet a rise in environmental degradations has mostly flown under the radar.
Two such examples serve as bookends for the border in Whatcom County. On the west side, Canada’s federal government has approved a 450-acre expansion at the Port of Vancouver’s Roberts Bank terminal, which is just north of Point Roberts. The project will increase the facility’s capacity more than 50%, even as it encroaches on prime habit for orcas, salmon, and other marine life.
Further east, concerns endure about long-term risks at B.C.’s Copper Mountain mine, located roughly 35 miles northeast from Ross Lake and North Cascades National Park. According to Mining Technology Magazine, the project is already the third largest copper extraction site in Canada, having outputted nearly 40,000 tonnes of copper in 2023. Toronto-based owner Hudbay Minerals expects the mine to operate for nearly three more decades.
Environmental advocates and Indigenous stakeholders have raised concerns about the mine’s tailing dams, which hold toxic waste, and their potential for failing. In a 2022 news release, Conservation Northwest executive director Mitch Friedman urged lawmakers in Washington and B.C. to resolve the mine’s “perilous state,” given the dams’ proximity to the cross-border Similkameen River and by extension the Columbia River watershed. According to Friedman, “the consequences are too dire to ignore.”
That’s a big picture view that the rest of us in the borderlands should embrace, especially as we plan for a future that emphasizes environmental and economic well-being on both sides of the Canada-U.S. line.
— By Derek Moscato
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Also read in Salish Current:
• “More Canada crude is coming, but trade war could hamper flow,” Jan. 3, 2025
• “Big border plans come with anxiety and opportunity,” Sept. 9, 2024
• “Local border waters are on the cusp of a major rise in oil tanker traffic,” April 29, 2024
• “With hard-earned acceptance, Sikh community flourishes on both sides of border,” June 23, 2023
• “Donut Hole win can guide transboundary strategy,” March 2, 2023
• “Cascadia’s media ecosystem connects our cross-border bioregion,” Jan. 20, 2021