On February 20th, the Supreme Court of the United States struck down President Donald Trump’s tariffs, reigniting the debate for many in the United States. However, for countries these tariffs affect, such as Canada, the conversation never stopped. The United States’ tariffs have dominated every aspect of our political life.
Canada’s response hasn’t been bad; we’ve seen a willingness to bring down interprovincial trade barriers and shift our trade to other nations, reducing our trade reliance on America—but if we want a true game-changing shift, CANZUK is the answer.
CANZUK is a proposed economic and military alliance between Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, which would see a massive reduction or elimination of tariffs between the countries. CANZUK International—a nonprofit organization that advocates for CANZUK—described it as “a comprehensive multi-lateral free trade agreement between Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom,” and a harmonization of regulation.
CANZUK would also mean full freedom of movement between citizens of CANZUK countries, resulting in visa-free travel and work. Similar to the long-existing Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement currently in place between Australia and New Zealand. The plan would also include deeper integration and cooperation of the countries’ military alliance.
CANZUK would have a positive effect on all four of these nations’ economies at any time in history, so just imagine the effects in the face of this new age of an unreliable United States as a partner on the world stage.
This isn’t just a fantasy; the support for CANZUK is there.
CANZUK International’s polling shows large support for CANZUK across all four potential member nations, with support for the program at 76% in Canada, 73% in Australia, 82% in New Zealand and 68% in the United Kingdom.
On top of that, the will from those in government in our country seems to be there with CANZUK. The program was officially endorsed by Canada’s Conservative Party in past elections and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre in his most recent trip to London. “The time has come for a new partnership among Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand—a modern CANZUK—a pact to open our economies further, remove barriers, recognize credentials, expand skilled labour mobility, and deepen capital markets,” said Poilievre.
Support for CANZUK was also signalled by Prime Minister Mark Carney in the Liberal leadership debate back in 2025, and although not an official endorsement, the Prime Minister did highlight the need for middle powers to come together during his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
The establishment of CANZUK policies isn’t unreasonable, with CANZUK being similar in scope to the European Economic Community (one of the main predecessor organizations to the European Union), as well as the freedom of movement already partially in place with the previously mentioned Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement between Australia and New Zealand.
The idea of CANZUK isn’t so far-fetched, especially with an increasingly unreliable United States.
So with all that in mind, yes, the efforts we have made in the face of Trump’s tariffs have been positive, but if the alliance between Canada and the United States is truly over—as Prime Minister Carney has put it—and we want to actually distance our trade from the United States, now is the perfect time for CANZUK.
