North American manufacturing is suffering under the strain of tariffs


Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association President Flavio Volpe shows Prime Minister Mark Carney, front, the Project Arrow 2.0 prototype vehicle during a tour of an auto-parts plant, Woodbridge, Ont., February 5, 2026. (Credit: Eduardo Lima)

Antonio Ortiz-Mena argues that the entry into force of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) in 2020 was necessary, since the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) had become a “piñata” for the U.S. political class. In this regard, the USMCA helped overcome that problem by establishing clear and predictable rules for the three partner countries.