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Or sign-in if you have an account.While Donald Trump might pass as a Bond villain, Mark Carney is no James Bond. Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images; Blair Gable/PostmediaThere was a cinematic quality to the Wall Street Journal’s profile of Prime Minister Mark Carney this week, entitled “The Canadian Who Steered Europe Away from the U.S.”Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorIt’s almost as if the authors had an eye on the movie version. President Donald Trump watching the TV on Air Force One, seeing Carney deliver his speech in Davos, earning rapturous applause for calling on western nations to stand up to great powers, “or be on the menu.”The account of western leaders gathering for a clandestine meeting in a Belgian castle to discuss reducing their dependency on America, after dropping their cellphones into a signals-blocking case, had Hollywood blockbuster biopic written all over it.The National Post newsletter that doesn’t hold back, giving readers the unvarnished truth on media, politics and culture.By signing up, you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Right? will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againPerhaps Daniel Craig could be cast as the Canadian prime minister, engaged in trying to save the world from a White House that British secret service agency, MI6, characterized as “The Crucible meets Wolf Hall.” Gary Oldman would make a fine Trump, having already proven his chameleon-like qualities as Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour.Many Canadians who read snippets of the WSJ account will cheer their prime minister for standing up to the bully.But the timing was unfortunate.Real life does not follow the binary framework of the movies, where a Bond-like hero vanquishes a grandiose, arrogant, greedy villain.While Trump fits the part, Carney is not Bond.Canada is embroiled in trade talks that have the potential to be existential to the country’s future prosperity.One senior trade official involved in the CUSMA review said the Journal article is likely to be received badly in the White House.“Even Trump’s detractors are saying to me: ‘It’s one thing to stand up to him. It is quite another to lead the resistance when he is your biggest customer.”Carney has proven remarkably nimble at walking the line between submission and overt confrontation.But there are signs that the government’s holding pattern on trade negotiations with Washington is becoming untenable.A KPMG report released earlier this week said four in 10 Canadian manufacturers have moved production to the United States, or are considering doing so, because of trade uncertainty and competitive pressures.The survey of 275 manufacturers said 57 per cent have paused, reduced or cancelled capital expenditure plans.Shuv Majumdar, the Conservative critic for Canada-U.S. relations, said the survey results reflect the cost of the Carney government’s “wait and see” approach to trade negotiations.The Canadian trade official said the subject is raised anecdotally in consultations “all the time.”“Many have already moved distribution south. Now, they are saying this has not alleviated the impact sufficiently and the risk remains high,” she said.The KPMG report said companies have absorbed higher costs and adjusted their options but can’t do so indefinitely. “At some point, uncertainty begins to shape long-term decisions about where investment, production and growth will occur,” it concluded.The vast majority of the companies said they are CUSMA-compliant, and so are not subject to tariffs at the moment.But clearly, for that happy circumstance to continue, manufacturers need to have some confidence that Trump won’t simply walk away from the deal (which admittedly he could, even if he renews).Respondents to the KPMG survey said factors that could persuade them to remain included ensuring certainty around free trade and confirming tariff relief.The Bank of Canada’s business outlook survey, also released earlier this week, noted that business sentiment deteriorated in the last quarter, after improving in the three previous quarters.While the outlook for the oil and gas industry has improved, lingering uncertainty is weighing on investment plans, it said. A previous study of non-financial businesses noted that profitability remains solid, providing a buffer against negative shocks, but trade uncertainty and geopolitical tensions are creating new stress.Canada’s economy has proven surprisingly resilient to the Trump effect to this point. But it appears that hard decisions have only been deferred.There will be reprisals for the government’s stated defence-industrial strategy, which is focused on building up the domestic defence industry and reducing dependence on the U.S.In the past week, Canada has committed to buying Norwegian missiles for its fighter jets and Swedish surveillance planes (to be built at a Bombardier facility in Toronto). The winning bid for a $4.9-billion contract to supply 1,600 light utility vehicles for the Canadian Forces will be chosen from two Canadian companies, with the Americans being edged out of the contest.We are not only living in an historic moment, it is a precarious moment that requires delicate handling.Trump remains hooked on the belief that permanent destabilization creates American advantage: that by keeping his allies and adversaries permanently off-balance, he wins.The KPMG survey suggests there may be something to the president’s strategy, besides the obvious megalomania.National Post Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.