Across the world from the trade barbs issued in the White House rose garden, Canada’s auto industry is striking deals in Germany’s biergartens. 

More Canadians than ever—over 1,000—are attending this week’s industrial trade fair, Hannover Messe, where their booths span 5,000 square metres. As tariffs threaten to pulverize the North American auto-trade corridor, many are hoping that the European Union, led by auto giant Germany, will emerge as a reliable trade partner.