![Politics with Bill Casey [wordmark]](https://billcasey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/politics_w_bill_casey_fira.png)
Canso, Acadian, Meteor, Monarch, Frontenac, Richelieu, Lucerne
Up until the North American Auto Pact was signed in 1965, high tariffs were in place which prevented new cars from being sold back and forth from the United States and Canada.
Canada manufactured cars and trucks to supply our own Canadian domestic market. The United States manufactured cars and trucks for their own market. Few cars crossed the border because of the high tariffs in place before 1965.
Even though we had tariffs, Canada had a thriving auto manufacturing business selling vehicles to Canadians.
Some of the exclusive Canadian cars that were manufactured only in Canada and not available in the US were the Meteor, Monarch, and Frontenac. Some of the exclusive GM Canada cars were the Pontiac Laurentian, Parisienne, Beaumont, Acadian, and Canso. Chrysler had Canadian cars as well called the Mayfair, the Regent, the Viscount etc.
On the truck side, Mercury trucks and Fargo trucks were only manufactured and sold in Canada. They were not sold in the U.S.A.
Some of the sub model names were particularly Canadian. Names like Frontenac, Richelieu, Lucerne, Niagara, Rideau, Laurentian, and Montcalm left no doubt where they were from. The Acadian and the Canso names were very close to home.
Things changed dramatically when a series of trade agreements were signed… the 1965 Auto Pact, the 1994 NAFTA Agreement, and finally the 2020 USMCA Agreement.
When the United States and Canada signed the Auto Pact which removed the tariffs in 1965, it was agreed that the auto industry would serve both countries equally. Cars and trucks were to be built on both sides of the border as if there was no border. Parts were shared between factories and a very efficient auto manufacturing process was established.
When the North American Free Trade Agreement was signed in 1994, Mexico acquired the same terms as the U. S. A and Canada.
Then in 2020, the NAFTA Agreement was replaced by the USMCA agreement (United States-Mexico-Canada). The USMCA was to expire in 2036.
As I write this, I have no idea what or when new tariffs will be imposed on Canadian automobiles by the new U. S. administration. Any imposed change will be in contravention of the signed USMCA Agreement.
The tariff pendulum seems to swing back and forth, and it is hard to know where it will end up. I have always been optimistic that the tariffs that Mr. Trump has forecasted so many times will not emerge in their most severe form, but only he will know that… and then only at the moment that he signs the order.
However, it is important to note that Canada’s automobile manufacturing industry thrived with tariffs before the Auto Pact, NAFTA and the USMCA… and it can again. Having said that, there would be considerable upheaval and adjustment.
An interesting statistic is that Canadians bought almost 2 million cars and trucks last year. That alone is a significant market. Canadian companies manufactured 1. 5 million cars, with most exported to the U.S.A. If those cars stayed in Canada, that could make up for the lost U. S. market. This is an oversimplification of the challenge, but it is possible.
Canadian automobile manufacturers now include General Motors of Canada, Ford Motor of Canada, Stellantis (Chrysler), Honda and Toyota.
This would be a challenging conversion… but we did it before and we can do it again if we need to. Hopefully it will not be necessary.
Canada manufactured cars and trucks to supply our own Canadian domestic market. The United States manufactured cars and trucks for their own market. Few cars crossed the border because of the high tariffs in place before 1965.
Even though we had tariffs, Canada had a thriving auto manufacturing business selling vehicles to Canadians.
Some of the exclusive Canadian cars that were manufactured only in Canada and not available in the US were the Meteor, Monarch, and Frontenac. Some of the exclusive GM Canada cars were the Pontiac Laurentian, Parisienne, Beaumont, Acadian, and Canso. Chrysler had Canadian cars as well called the Mayfair, the Regent, the Viscount etc.
On the truck side, Mercury trucks and Fargo trucks were only manufactured and sold in Canada. They were not sold in the U.S.A.
Some of the sub model names were particularly Canadian. Names like Frontenac, Richelieu, Lucerne, Niagara, Rideau, Laurentian, and Montcalm left no doubt where they were from. The Acadian and the Canso names were very close to home.
Things changed dramatically when a series of trade agreements were signed… the 1965 Auto Pact, the 1994 NAFTA Agreement, and finally the 2020 USMCA Agreement.
When the United States and Canada signed the Auto Pact which removed the tariffs in 1965, it was agreed that the auto industry would serve both countries equally. Cars and trucks were to be built on both sides of the border as if there was no border. Parts were shared between factories and a very efficient auto manufacturing process was established.
When the North American Free Trade Agreement was signed in 1994, Mexico acquired the same terms as the U. S. A and Canada.
Then in 2020, the NAFTA Agreement was replaced by the USMCA agreement (United States-Mexico-Canada). The USMCA was to expire in 2036.
As I write this, I have no idea what or when new tariffs will be imposed on Canadian automobiles by the new U. S. administration. Any imposed change will be in contravention of the signed USMCA Agreement.
The tariff pendulum seems to swing back and forth, and it is hard to know where it will end up. I have always been optimistic that the tariffs that Mr. Trump has forecasted so many times will not emerge in their most severe form, but only he will know that… and then only at the moment that he signs the order.
However, it is important to note that Canada’s automobile manufacturing industry thrived with tariffs before the Auto Pact, NAFTA and the USMCA… and it can again. Having said that, there would be considerable upheaval and adjustment.
An interesting statistic is that Canadians bought almost 2 million cars and trucks last year. That alone is a significant market. Canadian companies manufactured 1. 5 million cars, with most exported to the U.S.A. If those cars stayed in Canada, that could make up for the lost U. S. market. This is an oversimplification of the challenge, but it is possible.
Canadian automobile manufacturers now include General Motors of Canada, Ford Motor of Canada, Stellantis (Chrysler), Honda and Toyota.
This would be a challenging conversion… but we did it before and we can do it again if we need to. Hopefully it will not be necessary.