Why Trade?

Pros
  • Able to consume more than a country can produce
  • greater variety and quality of goods
  • higher income
  • lower prices
  • increased competition

Cons
  • strategic industry argument- should not become too dependent on other countries to manufacture our necessitieslike oil, military goods, steel. if you there is a world war and you can no longer get imports from that country it can hurt your country
  • infant industry argument- protect new and vulnerable industries, shelter them from competition
  • cultural identity argument- need to protect our culture like education and hospitals should not be owned or controlled by foreigners. news, tv and radio has to play a certain amount of Canadian content
  • lower environmental and labour standards: the labour and environmental standards may be eroded as they try to compete with countries whose standards are lower and may as a result have cost advantage.
Dr. Stephanie Powers, "Exchange rate", Intro to Macroeconomics.(Lecture, Donald School of Business, Red Deer Alberta, Winter 2012)