In August’s episode of “From Here to Where?” Dr. Christopher Sands joins me to discuss the ever interesting and sometimes challenging relationship that Canada has with its neighbour and largest trading partner, the United States of America. We explore the inter-connectedness of our economies generally, and our automotive sectors specifically and, in these times where – regardless of Administration – America seems to be both looking inward and attempting to protect and repatriate its manufacturing base, we also explore some of the unintended consequences arising from such an approach. As always, the automotive industry is front and centre.

Christopher Sands, PhD, is the Director of the Wilson Center’s Canada Institute in Washington, D.C., and is an internationally renowned specialist on Canada, and US-Canadian relations. He is also an adjunct professor of Canadian Studies at Johns Hopkins University’s Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). He regularly gives testimony to the U.S. Congress and the Canadian Parliament, and is a widely quoted source on all things Canada.  He has published extensively over a career of more than 25 years in Washington think tanks and, hailing from Detroit it will be no surprise to learn that Dr. Sands did his graduate thesis on trade in the automotive industry.