*** a little tid bit of info, 20% of America's oil imports currently comes from Canada with the Keystone pipeline it is said that it could go higher. The United States has long tried to reduce its dependance on Middle Eastern and enemy countries for its oil. An end or huge reduction in Canadian oil imports would end the United States dream of becoming independent of middle eastern and foreign oil!

Well I have been reporting the last few actions by the US which are hurting Canada a country that is the most important trading partner to the United States but also relies heavily on the United States for its own economy.

We all know that Canada has given the United States first dibs on all resources and trading. The country has avoided trade with other countries to support American interests. For a long time Canada has been called America's bitch and with all the back stabbing the US Government has done Canada has stayed the course.

However a little while ago President Obama stated he would be violating the NAFTA agreement by enacting a buy America law. This action is the third time Obama has introduced or tried to introduce a Buy America law. Both prior times the law was shut down due to its obvious beach of the United States agreements. The latest time it again was shot down.

However during that crisis parliament in Canada met to discuss whether the US is a reliable trading partner. It was discussed whether Canada should seek a new main trading partner to remove the dependance on the United States, at the time the Conservative Party leading Canada prevented any action from being taken.

Anyways that brings me to the latest threat which appears could be the catalyst and final nail in the US's dream of removing its reliance on foreign oil.

The Keystone Pipeline was proposed for approval by the Canadian Government in 2009 and in 2010 it was approved. South Dakota Public Utilities Commission granted a permit on February 19, 2010. It appeared that the Pipeline was going to begin being built ASAP and would finally relieve the US's reliance on oil from the Middle East and war torn countries and enemies. However Obama bent to opposition when protestors began protesting the oil pipelines construction.

The oil Pipeline is going to benefit the United States far more then Canada, many Canadian Unions and Government officials tried to block it saying we would be selling out to America and that our country wouldn't benefit as much from the deal. The Canadian Government defended the decision to sell our oil to America, but Obama appears to have halted the development.

The United States Government was supposed to approve the Pipeline this winter, however it would appear that the Obama administration is putting off the approval till after the next election. Canadian Government members have stated Obama is playing political games more worried about being re-elected then maintaining America's trade partnership with Canada.

So the gloves are now off. CBC/CTV News reports that Canada's Government told Obama that if the United States does not honor its trade agreements and does not approve of the Keystone Pipeline that Canada will take its resources elsewhere.

The beginning of the shift away from America is expected to be signed next year. Japan and China have both offered to take on all of our trade agreements for oil. This means that Canada will effectively stop sending oil to the United States or at least reduce the amount it does.

At the moment Canada does not have a trade agreement with China nor an oil agreement with Japan or other outside countries. The United States has had exclusive rights to most of Canada's resources.

Canadian Government analysts have suggested that Canada could fully replace the United States in the foreseeable future. The oil deal may be the start but the Government is said to be exploring additional trade deals which will mean our resources will be heading to Asia and the EU rather then the United States.

"I was in China and Japan and I just got back yesterday. And let me tell you there’s a keen interest in our resources in both those countries. The Japanese are interested in our natural gas, the Chinese in our oil and gas." Canada's National Resources Manager

Up until now the threats have come from the opposition parties in parliament and not from the Prime Minister himself. Minister Jim Flarety re-affirms the accusation that Harper is threatening the Obama administration saying “It may mean that we may have to move quickly to ensure that we can export our oil to Asia through British Columbia.”

What do you think is this an empty threat? In the past year or two the United States has become an unreliable business partner according to the Canadian Government with the opposition calling for action, however this time it is the ruling Conservative Party that is finally joining the rest of the Government in talk of beginning to ditch the US as our main trading partner by switching trade over to other more reliable countries.

What effect would the ceasing of oil exports or the shrinking of oil exports to the United States do? Is Obama really stupid enough to end trade with Canada over winning re-election? Many Canadians are extremely happy as it is widely believed Canada relies to heavily on the US and is always referred to as America's bitch. Do you think Canadian's and their Government should be looking for new trading partners to replace America? Or should Canada put up with Obama's moronic moves and hope the next US President isn't a dumb ass?

Who calls you "America's bitch," yourselves's, internet idiots, or who?

The campaign for the presidency does occupy too long of time in America and causes a standstill in political progress (not that it is good already). I don't see it as good news for either country by breaking ties that would damage one of the strongest alliances in the world. I would suspect if the Canadian government pushes the issue hard enough Obama will respond positively and approve the deal. I believe that the Canadian government is doing something to make trade with the US more fair, good for them.

My biggest lack of believing this is I have a hard time believing Canada would want to have better relations with communist China than they would the US.

Well Canadians do often, but so do many people from other countries. The exact term "Bitch" is more used by civilians but we have been called puppet etc...etc... Their is a consensus globally that Canada does what ever the US wants, now I would argue our current Conservative Government is far from America's bitch. In fact the current Government stands up to the US every single time it becomes necessary.

You would be correct in that belief. Despite making the threat the Government has stated they have faith Obama will make the right decision and that the pipeline will be approved before elections unlike what the Obama administration is saying. Prime Minister Harper has stated many times that he objects to trading with China unless they improve their humanitarian treatment of civilians.

Trust me Canada does not want to trade with China instead of America (Not the Conservative Gov at least), but the opposition parties do (NDP/Liberal) and if the Government and our economy continue to suffer because of America breaking its agreements or hindering trade it becomes almost impossible to remain major trading partners with the US.

Fact is the Conservative Government is not able to stick by trade with the US if America doesn't stand by its agreements and incourage trade. Not to mention with the US economy still unstable and the possibility the US economy will continue to shrink they become less and less important to our countries survival.

In the end I don't think Canada really wants to ditch the US, Obama is forcing their hand. Its not like the Canadian Government hasn't been trying to maintain a relationship for years. This idea of replacing the US as our dominant trading partner has been around for half a decade and the Government didn't even think about the idea (Ruling party not opposition) until now. This shows the Canadian Government has really done everything it can to keep the trade partnership as it is. Even now the Canadian Government still has hope that Obama will pass the pipeline deal before the election and go back on his "Buy America" plans.

But in all honesty its very unrealistic to expect Canada to continue trading almost exclusively with the United States if the US shows no regard for Canada's well being.

@ Joel
Don't forget the shrinking economy is a global issue now. Not just a problem in the US. Your explanations and writing are very informative. Not one part of my message suggests the Canadian government is in the wrong. I just think the US knows keeping good relations with Canada is very important and if they push hard enough we may be forced to answer with more fair agreements . The bad thing will be if the US uses it's power to push back aggressively. I cannot argue if they will do one or the other, but I do know the US bullies countries especially those in the third world. Bullying Canada to large extents to maintain better benefits to ourselves though seems unlikely to me.

you formulate your question in such a way to imply that the US needs canada more than canada needs the US.

canada wants to trade with the US and the US wants to trade with canada. its not going to stop because an oil line isnt being built on time

if us-canadian trade is hurt, both will suffer, and with 75% of canadian exports/65% of imports going to/coming from the US, thats a lot of potential hurt for canada.

I love how the people who are most likely to say "No war for oil" are also the most likely to reject oil from a peaceful ally that is going to transport the oil in one of the safest and most secure manners; and this ensures that the USA will continue to import vast quantities of oil from militaristic dictators who have poor environmental standards, their citizens have no human rights, and the oil will be delivered in large tankers which will inevitably lead to very large oil spills.

Essentially, this is an example of them going against all of their principles because socialist organizations like Green Peace want them to ...

As long as we can still keep watching American TV, I don't think Chinese tv is a good replacement :) Although Japanese TV might be interesting.

But seriously, hopefully this will work out. Shipping crap halfway around the world is not helping the environment.

And you'd be surprised.  China needs oil more.

I really doubt those people are actually putting that much thought into it.

Of course they don't, because if they were informed and had a realistic worldview they wouldn't maintain the hard-line positions they have on various energy related issues ...