Unceded Anishinaabe Algonquin Territories [OTTAWA], 25 August 2026:<\/p>\n
In response to the collapse of the U.S.-Canada trade negotiations<\/a> over the weekend, Caroline Brouillette, Executive Director of Climate Action Network Canada, issued the following statement:\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWalking away from a deal that went from bad to terrible was the right thing to do. But to truly bolster Canada\u2019s sovereignty, we need to break our dependence on a volatile trade partner and on a volatile high-carbon status quo. Instead, we should go all-in on clean industries that contribute to our energy independence.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAs long as Canada continues to subsidize the oil and gas industry, largely U.S.-owned, we are risking our economy and energy security, responding to one trade shock after another, and failing to protect workers and communities across the country. These companies are profiting from burning our country down \u2014 both literally and figuratively \u2014 and they should be taxed. A tax on excess oil and gas profits could raise $40 billion<\/a> within a single year and be reinvested to fund the support measures and public services Canadians need during this difficult period.<\/p>\n \u201cRetaliation is necessary, but not enough. The rules of the game on international trade have long been unfair, putting corporations over communities and punishing countries for their sovereign choices in the interest of people and the environment. These tectonic geopolitical and economic shifts are an opportunity for Canada to not only diversify trade, but move away from the models that upheld the old partnerships and their modus operandi.<\/p>\n \u201cWe welcome the government\u2019s commitment<\/a> to protect workers and businesses impacted by U.S. tariffs. The costs of volatile trade partners shouldn\u2019t fall on workers and communities. We now need to work towards building a more resilient economy, with good, high-quality jobs, strong domestic supply chains, and public investments in the clean industries we need for the economy of the future.\u201d<\/p>\n