US Gets Hit With A BRIC

Stephen Harper has been a huge proponent of increasing Canada's presence in the Americas. In fact, he's been criticized for making a priority of the Americas over everything else. Well, here's Harper's opportunity to actually do something to strengthen Canada's relationship with the continent's other superpower, Brazil. See, there's a trade war a-brewing between the US and Brazil over US cotton subsidies. The US is unlikely to budge because, well, have you watched the US Senate lately? Brazil probably sees this as an opportunity to ween itself from America's influence and has a vested (all puns intended) interested in protecting its own cotton industry. The great news is Canada doesn't produce a whole lot of cotton and has no horse in this whole trade spat. The bad news is that the powers of business tend to get these sorts of things settled rather quickly. So, while the iron is hot and American goods are costing an arm and a leg, let's get a Team Canada trade mission to Brazil. Increase Canadian exports, revive manufacturing, create jobs? Check, check, check. This isn't political this is just good business.