U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer has made it official.  Delivering an official statement today following a discussion between the United States, Mexico and Canada, USTR Jamieson Greer informed the group the USA will not be renewing the USMCA trilateral trade agreement. [SOURCE]

[SOURCE]

Unfortunately, yet predictably given how much false information has been pushed on this issue, the Canadian team will now believe they have a period of ten consecutive years of negotiation before the trade deal is over.  This is structurally and completely false.  The Canadian media will likely continue selling this false hope.

In reality, with the non-renewal announcement now made, President Trump and USTR Greer can now complete the bilateral trade discussions with Mexico (noted in the announcement) and then move to stage two.

Stage two will be the United States announcing a complete withdrawal from the USMCA, which triggers a six-month countdown clock.   The formal notification of withdrawal will likely happen once the U.S. and Mexico complete the bilateral free trade agreement.

I understand that I am somewhat of a nerd on this USMCA construct and the Trump approach toward it. Therefore, it is unfair of me to judge perspectives of pundits. I have studied the granular details for several years, read dozens of transcripts from the USTR office, watched every interview and statement from President Trump and USTR Greer; yet I am still gob-smacked at the inability of the Canadian media to recognize what is evident and explain what is about to take place.

There is a possibility in this non-renewal phase the Canadian people might just start to question why they are being misled by their government and the media; however, I am not optimistic they will realize it yet.

As noted by this article from Barrons, the denial is off the charts. [SEE HERE]

President Trump has said repeatedly he does not see value in retaining the USMCA (CUSMA) and the only purpose it served was to eliminate NAFTA.   The USMCA had one job, eliminate NAFTA.

Both President Trump and USTR Jamieson Greer have been very clear; Trump in direct words, Greer in direct action.

President Trump has said the USMCA was not a trade agreement he wanted to retain, while USTR Greer has been building a bilateral free trade agreement with Mexico for 18 months.  No effort has been extended toward Canada, because the last stage, stage #3, is where a U.S-Canada bilateral trade agreement will be introduced.

Stage #1 – Announce the non-renewal of the USMCA.

Stage #2 – Complete the bilateral trade agreement with Mexico.

Announce the formal withdrawal from the USMCA, trigger the 6-month countdown.

Stage #3 – Begin negotiating with Canada while the 6-month doomsday clock is ticking.  This is optimal leverage.

No part of this process should be a surprise.  The Canadian government is willfully obtuse, but they are not stupid. They are hearing, reading and seeing the same things as me.  They know what is coming.  The Canadian government, with the assistance of the Canadian media, are willfully lying to their domestic audience.

The Canadian electorate are angry at the USA.  The Canadian electorate should be angry at their media and government.

For some bizarre reason, and I mean this with great seriousness and sadness, the Canadian people do not comprehend the nature of their economic relationship with the United States.

Canada doesn’t sell 75% of their products to the United States.  The United States buys 75% of Canadian products.

The USA is the customer in the relationship.  Canada is the seller.  The customer holds the leverage in this relationship, not the seller.

The customer is under no obligation to purchase goods from a hostile seller: who ridicules them, belittles them, shouts at them, makes each visit uncomfortable for them, tells them how stupid they are, and is generally abusive to them.

For some unknown reason, Canadians just cannot see the nature of this relationship.  There is a very weird abusive psychology behind it, created by the Canadian government.  It is the strangest thing I have ever witnessed.

{{Steps off Soapbox}}

Bottom line, you all know what is going to come next. {GO DEEP} I love, genuinely love and respect our Canadian Treepers, but Trump is going to unload all of that above sentiment over the next several months.

I doubt seriously anyone of relative importance in Canadian politics has the awareness or capability to grab the people that matter by the scruff of the neck and tell them to ‘knock it off‘ and find some humility.  It’s no longer a Canadian trait.

…During this period, President Trump carries massive leverage against Canada.  He will likely probe their trade position and willingness to comply with reciprocity after the non-renewal announcement.  The outcome of those probes will determine the timeline of his exit announcement.

During this non-renewal phase, we may even see President Trump tease the exit, then retract, then tease the exit again.  Each time Trump tests the Canadian government with statements, the Canadian economy will pulsate and weaken; it will drive the Canadian government to either extreme anger, or defeated compliance.

Timing the completion of the U.S-Mexico deal within the probes of Canada will be super interesting.  At some point as the U.S. closes in on the deal with Mexico, Canada is going to realize they are naked without any agreement.

The worst-case scenario for Canada is President Trump announcing the USMCA exit on the same day he announces a completed bilateral deal with Mexico. (more)

Last point.  Expect the U.K and EU to financially backstop Canada and purchase sovereign debt in an effort to support them financially.  It will not be enough, but they will try to offset Trump’s leverage.  Keep watching.

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