Page 6 - INSIGHT MAGAZINE_April2025

CE0'S MESSAGE

Time for Canada to cast

its nets worldwide

"The Chamber will create
the necessary momentum
to nurture and champion
Commercial fishing businesses don’t up ready to build a fantastic new program. success by bringing together
hire people to sit on a boat in the We invested heavily (for the Chamber) and
middle of a lake or ocean and cast then things changed, the ‘reef’ dried up the elements – on all sides
and the opportunities that were there just
a line, they look for reefs where the months before had suddenly disappeared. of an issue – to successfully
fish gather to feed – not unlike the cultivate all that is good,
approach you can use at a Chamber I’m not saying we’ve corrected the and can be good, in our
imbalance in our operation, far from it,
event when you’re networking. but panic wasn’t going to get the Chamber
Anglers cast their nets so they can catch as through this. It wasn’t that we did anything community."
many fish as they can at one time. When wrong or planned and executed improperly,
an area seems to dry up, they understand it’s just that things changed, and the reef goods that we currently sell to the U.S.,
the movement of the schools of fish and we had always relied on wasn’t going to which doesn’t have the corner on all goods
plot a journey to where the gatherings will produce. With lessons learned we are now in the world. In fact, the reality is if America
now take place. It is a strategic planning planning for the next move with a much didn’t exist, the rest of the world may not
process that those in the industry are better understanding of where the market even miss them. We have opportunities in
experts at doing and is exactly what an is going, and we’ll find our way through the European Union, Ukraine, Israel, UK,
entrepreneur does when starting and this. Chile, South Korea, Colombia, Honduras,
building a business. Similarly, businesses must start to do the Panama, Peru, Australia, Brunei, Japan,
They do market research and find out where same now that it appears the U.S. can no Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore,
their customers are, aiming to pick areas longer be considered the reliable trading Vietnam, Mexico, Jordan, and Costa Rica.
that will be most productive, and then partner it once was. The American survival My friends, the world really is our oyster.
cast their nets. And sometimes that great method is different from most. It is akin to With strong signals clearly coming from
‘fishing hole’ dries up, things change, and two people falling off a boat into the water the current U.S. administration indicating
the momentum moves elsewhere. When with one lifejacket between them, and that we aren’t important to them any
that happens, they strategically plan their while most folks would figure out a way to longer it is time to look at ‘casting our
next move to cast nets where they can, not share the lifejacket in a way where both nets’ in calmer waters. I’m not suggesting
to just regain their catch, but to advance survive, they use a different approach. we totally give up on the U.S. because their
their catch and grow their businesses. When it comes to the U.S., their first capacity isn’t great enough to fulfill their
The problem with being human is we often instinct is to ensure their own survival and needs, so trade with Canada will always
get a little too comfortable and start to if the other can tread water long enough, be needed. However, it stands to reason
well, that is great, but the priority is always
expect things to go our way, thinking the that if they can not be relied on to be a
‘fish’ will always gather on that reef since self-preservation. I use that hypothetically, free trading partner, we shouldn’t feel
they’ve always seemed to be there. In and I hope that doesn’t really happen. bad about turning our backs on them in
business, when that ‘reef’ dries up and a However, self-preservation is certainly U.S. favour of somewhere else that respects
market shift pushes leaders back on their President Donald Trump’s typical course of agreements, wants to do business with us
action.
heels they become unsure and sometimes and has a strong desire for a more solid
make bad decisions because they begin to Folks, it isn’t too late to change even if we relationship.
panic. are a little late to the party. We need to Trump is burning many bridges on behalf
I understand that situation since the diversify our trading relationships. Canada of his business community all over the
trades freely with 51 countries around the
Chamber recently experienced something world. He is threatening massive tariffs on
similar. We had a plan and partners lined world – maybe only 50 now. Interestingly, virtually everyone they trade with, except
those countries' businesses need the same

6 Spring 2025 www.cambridgechamber.com