A claim by United States President Donald Trump that the US and Canada have a "natural conflict" in trade may overstate competition and overlook the economic integration between the two countries, experts say.
During a meeting with Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney at the White House on Oct 7, Trump said there is a natural conflict in the bilateral trade relationship.
Mesbah Sharaf, an economics professor at the University of Alberta, said Trump was probably referring to the fact that the two economies produce and export many of the same goods.
"This overlap creates competition rather than full complementarity," Sharaf said.
The most visible areas of competition, he said, include energy, automobiles, steel and aluminum, and softwood.
"Both countries seek to protect jobs and industries that serve similar markets, which naturally creates conflict, even though the overall relationship remains strong and deeply integrated."
Trump's protectionist trade agenda, which "relies heavily on tariffs", puts long-term pressure on Canadian industries that compete directly with US producers, such as auto parts, lumber and metals, he said.
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