CANADALAND Wait, We're Also in a Trade War with China?
Aug 26, 2025
Vina Nadjibulla, Vice President of Research and Strategy at the Asia Pacific Foundation, shares insights from her 20+ years in international security. She discusses China's tariffs on Canadian canola seeds and warns against falling for geopolitical traps. The conversation dives into Canada’s need to diversify trade beyond the U.S. and China, as well as the growing implications of trade tensions on national security. Listeners also get a glimpse into the complexities of intelligence sharing among allies in a tense global landscape.
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Canola's Strategic Importance
- Canola is a major Canadian industry worth roughly $45 billion and employs about 200,000 people.
- China is a huge canola consumer and Canadian canola has a strong premium reputation there.
Tariff Justification Is Political
- China claims anti-dumping, alleging Canada sells canola below market price in China.
- Vina calls the justification political and says it aligns with China's pattern of economic coercion.
Retaliation Seeks Political Leverage
- China retaliates strategically to maximize pressure, targeting sectors that politically split Canada.
- Tariffs aim to turn an East/West Canadian divide against Ottawa to force policy concessions.