Three leaders’ one strong message

Pictures of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto and President Obama walking down the aisle at the National Gallery of Canada on June 29, 2016 in Ottawa were well designed, well planted and above all well timed. It was a conscious effort by the leadership spreading over two continents involving three countries that share a lot in common, yet tend to appear different. Those pictures were intended to send a strong message to the leaders all around the world.
The message was simple, three big nations known for the large trade are now attempting to turn friends into more closer allies at a time when the world was witnessing the European Union breaking up.
Parliament was recalled to hear Obama, giving the Members of the Parliament a unique opportunity to bid goodbye to the two-term president and the newly named. “The Three Amigos Summit” in Ottawa was one of the first major international gathering since Britian’s vote to leave the European Union and it gathered enough attention. The summit was able to display that in this part of the world, the nations believe in openness, a trade that is vibrant and is allowed to grow, and are green consciousness.
For the businessmen in not only in Canada, but also in Mexico and US, this comes as good news and has been welcomed by the markets too. The moves comes when Europe in embroiled in a state of uncertainty and has sent a message of solidarity –that the sky is not falling.
Where as the US republican nominee Donald Trump has been harboring for building a wall along the Mexican border to keep out drug traffickers and criminals, Canada removed visa restrictions against Mexican citizens, which Mexico considered a major hindrance in interacting with former Conservative government at Ottawa. Mexico as a reciprocal action removed restrictions against Canadian beef imports, in place since a mad cow disease scare in 2003. The attempt to restrict visa restrictions for the Mexicans was seen as a shot to allow free exchange of people, however the same is marred with concerns. A cautious approach is required or else the lifting of the visa restrictions could backfire.
Canada, Mexico and the U.S. agreed to reduce the escape of oil and gas-generated methane by 45 percent by 2025. They also pledged that half of their energy would be generated from clean sources and to phase out government fossil fuel subsidies by 2025, again sending a strong signal to the world leaders that the three nations are concerned not only about their own nation but also about nations too. From environmental issues, to trade the three leaders meet is being seen as an attempt to bring in a global stability. More than the announcements, the leaders would have to garner enough political support and put a strategy in place. The “Three Amigo Nations” and the world need a carbon pricing policy that is able to remove the anti establishment policy, and remove any misgiving that the any drive to control the environment would lead to reduction of jobs. A carbon policy has to reduce emission, and allow the economy to grow as well.

All these issues will be addressed a number of times, these will be under attack as the presidential campaign in US gains momentum and the joint intellect of the three leaders would be questioned and put to test by the various political parties not only in US but also in Canada and Mexico. A result on those moves would be awaited, and watched by the world.