Prime Minister Mark Carney with (L-R) MP James Maloney, Irish Minister of State Timmy Dooley, and Irish Ambassador John Concannon marching in Montreal’s 200th St. Patrick’s Day parade on March 16th/Irish Embassy Canada

By Ben Collins

March 16, 2025

These are unprecedented times. In the last decade we have seen Brexit, the first Trump presidency, the COVID pandemic, the war in Ukraine and generational bloodshed in the Middle East.

But the trade war started by Donald Trump against the United States’ closest neighbours Canada and Mexico, as well as the escalation of his verbal and economic attacks on the European Union, is extraordinary.

Viewing events from Belfast, I am reminded of how it felt when the UK unexpectedly voted to leave the EU. Northern Ireland did not vote to leave the EU, but the region felt the full effect of Brexit nonetheless. This is the only part of the UK to share a land border with an EU State, namely the Republic of Ireland. I think it is fair to say that what Canada is going through at the moment, especially with a US President repeatedly stating his desire to make the country a 51st State, is like Brexit on steroids.

However, there is always opportunity within adversity and both the island of Ireland and Canada can benefit from a new approach.

In this week of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations it is fitting that Canada has a new Liberal Prime Minister in Mark Carney, who has three Irish grandparents, holds an Irish passport (which he’ll be renouncing as Canadian PM) and played a key role in securing preferential terms for Ireland’s repayment of its loans to the troika following the global financial crisis.

Carney spent Sunday, his 60th birthday, marching the two-kilometre route of the 200th edition of Montreal’s fabled St. Patrick’s Day parade.

The Conservative Leader of the Official Opposition, Pierre Poilievre, also has an Irish grandparent and is proud of his Irish roots. Thanks to James Maloney MP, Canada has officially made March Irish Heritage Month and there are deep roots between Canada and Ireland that go back centuries. For example, 4.5m Canadians claim Irish heritage. The economic and cultural links are strong. Ireland invested €3.6Bn in Canada in 2023 according to the Central Statistics Office and Canada invested €5.2Bn in Ireland at the same time. These figures do not include Northern Ireland, which is the number one international investment location for US cybersecurity firms globally and also has a strong international financial services presence.

As stable, open economies and transatlantic cousins, we have much to gain by working together.

But there is potential to do so much more between Canada and the island of Ireland. In addition to local firms, the UK’s Centre for Secure Information Technologies is based in Northern Ireland. The region is also the only part of the UK that has unfettered access to the European single market for goods, under the Windsor Framework agreement between the UK and EU, to recognize Northern Ireland’s unique political and geographic situation. With the Trump administration raising tariffs on many Canadian goods in violation of its own USMCA trade deal, now is the time for Canada to deepen its economic links with both states on the island of Ireland as this can be the gateway to increased prosperity through access to the EU and UK markets.

These are all things that can be built upon in the weeks and months ahead. Prime Minister Carney will meet this week with President Emmanuel Macron in France and Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Britain. Diversifying Canada’s trade is a stated aim of the trip, as well as discussing security co-operation. Canada can seek to restart negotiations on a Canada-UK trade deal, though this may be complicated by the UK’s desire and President Trump’s apparent enthusiasm to secure a US-UK trade deal, notwithstanding the credibilty gap now associated with his respect for his own trade deals. Will he consider it to be a personal slight if the UK seeks a closer trading relationship with Canada? The bigger prize perhaps is to deepen the economic links between Canada and the EU, by building on the existing CETA trade deal which has yet to be ratified by Ireland.

The Canada-Ireland relationship has benefited citizens of both countries in many ways. Canadian General John de Chastelain played a key role in the decommissioning of paramilitary weapons that helped to end the conflict in Northern Ireland. Retired Supreme Court of Canada Judge Peter Cory was instrumental through his inquiry work in uncovering collusion by both British and Irish governments with paramilitary groups during the Troubles (the conflict over Northern Ireland’s territorial status from 1968-1998).

Their crucial work helped to lay solid foundations for the Good Friday Agreement, which secured peace for the region. This has helped to make the island of Ireland a safer place for investment. The examples of Irish men and women who have made a significant contribution to Canada are too many to name here.

This is a time when Canada has been forced to get its elbows up, and the Irish know something about fighting. Hockey has also become very popular in Northern Ireland, through our professional team, the Belfast Giants, who play in the Elite Ice Hockey League. The great Canadian player Theo Fleury helped the Giants become champions during his time with the team, and many other Canadians have played for the Giants since they were founded in 2000.

Like Canada, Ireland is concerned about the impact of the Trump administration’s sudden upending of the trade norms and principles that have defined the post-war economic order. Canada is right to seek to remove the internal trade barriers between its 13 provinces and territories. There is also a strategic imperative for Canada and Ireland to reduce impediments to trade between our countries and to build on our shared values. As stable, open economies and transatlantic cousins, we have much to gain by working together.

Ben Collins is a Belfast-based communications consultant and author of the book Irish Unity: Time to Prepare.