In this episode of On The Line, host Jen Gerson speaks with Flavio Volpe, president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association, about the increasingly tense state of Canada-U.S. trade relations.
This episode of On The Line is brought to you by Dominion Dynamics. Canada has never had true sovereign awareness of our North. Vast parts of our country are a blind spot. And when you can’t see your own territory, you can’t defend it, secure it, or respond when threats emerge. Dominion Dynamics is changing that. Dominion is building a sovereign command and control capability that lets Canada and its allies see, respond, and defend across every domain. We started in the Arctic, where extreme conditions demand technology no one else can deliver.
Threats don’t wait for bureaucracy. They are moving faster than our institutions. Dominion is closing that gap. Speed is now the strategic capability, and Dominion Dynamics is proving you can build capability at the speed of the threat.
Defend the dominion. Dominion Dynamics.
Learn more at DefendTheDominion.com.
They discuss the ongoing negotiations around CUSMA, what could happen if the United States ultimately decides to walk away from the deal, and why Canada doesn’t have the luxury of negotiating these disputes loudly or publicly. Volpe explains the deeply integrated nature of the North American auto sector, and why a full reshoring of American automotive manufacturing would be far more disruptive — and far less realistic — than many politicians seem to believe.
This episode of On The Line is also brought to you by Electro-Federation Canada. Canada’s clean electricity grid gives us a competitive edge in attracting global investment — but to maintain that advantage our system needs to break down barriers and unlock the grid. Aging infrastructure, supply chain constraints, and outdated regulations threaten our ability to expand and modernize the grid — essential components of meeting future capacity needs. Electro-Federation Canada has developed a research-backed roadmap for grid readiness focused on smart policy and regulatory alignment. To learn more, visit MakeTheSwitch.ElectroFed.com.
The conversation also touches on the political theatre surrounding the talks, including recent comments from Howard Lutnick suggesting that Canada “sucks” at negotiating. Gerson asks Volpe directly: is there any truth to that criticism, or are Canadians underestimating the constraints they’re operating under?
It’s a practical discussion about trade, manufacturing, political leverage, and the realities of economic interdependence between Canada and the United States.
This episode of On The Line is also brought to you by ACDC. Canada’s defence industrial base is fragmented. Critical platforms are owned and controlled abroad. That model doesn’t work anymore.
The Alliance of Canadian Defence Companies is rebuilding Canada’s sovereign defence-industrial base. ACDC champions Canadian-owned, Canadian-controlled companies that design, build, sustain, and export next-generation defence systems. Change requires new processes, new policies, and new behaviour. ACDC membership is open to Canadian-controlled defence companies ready to lead that change.
To join, email Info@AllianceCanada.com.
YouTube:
Video goes live in 30 minutes, at 7:00 Eastern and 5:00 Mountain.
Spotify:
Apple:
We hope you enjoy the episode — and don’t miss us next week. We’ll be back with more On The Line.
The Line is entirely reader and advertiser funded. No federal subsidies, no bailouts. If you value our work, please consider supporting us by subscribing or making a donation. Donations are not subscriptions and do not unlock paywalled content, but they help keep The Line independent
To contact The Line with a general inquiry or comment, please email info@readtheline.ca. For other ways to connect with us or to follow us on social media, please see our LinkTree.
