Does North America exist beyond geography?
Is there a notion of regional identity that marks us as North Americans?
The answer depends on who you ask, but today for most people, the idea of a North American identity remains more theoretical than practical. By North America, I am referring to Canada, the United States and Mexico, the three countries that recently renewed their trade agreement, renaming it the USMCA and eliminating the previous regional concept enshrined in the original text known as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
A follow-up question would be should North America exist as a regional concept and be actively promoted? I would argue that yes, all three countries have an interest in strengthening regional ties beyond just trade for social, geopolitical and economic reasons.
What do our very different countries have in common today? Or as recently formulated at a trilateral conference in Mexico City organized by the US-Mexico Foundation in September, what is the North American way?
There is absolutely no doubt that we function as a manufacturing and trading block, and arguably the most powerful one in the world. While often cited, the economic statistics always generate a sense of awe due to their sheer size: total trade between the US and Canada – the US’s largest trading partner, – stood at US $665 billion in 2021 and total trade with Mexico at US $661billion, four billion more than total trade with China. The highly vertically integrated North American automobile industry, for example, was valued at US $713 billion in 2021 and one estimate expects it will grow to around US $970 billion by 2027.
In cultural terms, what are the ties that bind us together? Our countries are neighbors and many of us have families that extend across borders. According to the Census Bureau there are 62.6 million people of Hispanic origin that live in the US (19% of the total U.S. population) and 60% of this population hails from Mexico. While the Mexican population in Canada is much smaller than in the US (128,380 according to the 2016 census) it is still the largest population outside of Mexico after the US.
When turning to family and culture, sometimes Canada is left out of the equation, but particularly in the northern states of the US the relationship is tight, aided by a relatively fluid border, as well as by sports ties in the baseball and hockey leagues. With respect to Canadian and Mexican ties, there is an ever-growing interest on the part of young Mexicans to study way up north, particularly given the vast cost differential with the US and a more welcoming culture. These academic ties bode well for solidifying relationships in the future.
Other important elements that we share include the sheer natural beauty of North America and the unique indigenous heritage of each country, a heritage that we should further explore and acknowledge.
What should North America stand for and support? My wish list includes democracy, immigration, innovation and sustainability. In the US and Mexico there has been recent concern over the future of our democracies, as our societies become increasingly fractured and violent. Canada is the exception, and probably has much to teach its southern neighbors about embracing difference and investing in people. Canada, for example, invests over 10% of its GDP on a universal, publicly funded healthcare system. The US has an incredibly inefficient and inequitable system that is only partially publicly funded and costs 16% of GDP a year, while Mexico woefully underfunds its public healthcare system with investment of only 3% of GDP.
Like all countries in the Americas, our three nations have histories influenced by immigration, something that should remain part of the North American ethos. Intolerance and policies that unnecessarily limit immigration hinder both peaceful coexistence and economic growth. The US and Canada both need more workers and perhaps surprisingly, in some sectors, so does Mexico. Thoughtful immigration policies can only help.
An entrepreneurial spirit of innovation also characterizes our region and is something that we can build upon to ensure that the concept of North America is more widely understood amongst our populations. When innovation happens across borders it strengthens both business ties and collaborative friendships, encouraging a sense of mutual accomplishment.
North America should also stand for sustainability. In terms of priorities that means transitioning as quickly as possible from the use of fossil fuels to renewable energy to tackle the threat posed by climate change. No, it is not easy, but yes it needs to be done in order to ensure a viable and healthy future for generations to come. Our region could not be more fortunate when it comes to energy resources, both from a fossil fuels perspective (oil and natural gas) and renewable energy (solar, wind, hydro, etc.). Energy is the cornerstone of our regional competitiveness.
Beyond the economic and political realm, we have a major opportunity to create a North American identity that speaks to a majority of our citizens from a more emotionally tangible perspective: FIFA’s World Cup 2026. Over the last twenty five years, soccer/fútbol has become a major sport in the US and Canada – perhaps to the chagrin of Mexico, whose national team has had a rough time of it of late. In 2026 our three nations will co-host the World Cup, a global sports event that provides us with the chance to explain to the world what makes us unique. In order to reap the full benefits of this collaborative effort, we need to start brainstorming and developing the foundations of regional belonging now.
Today, it is hard to argue that North America has a commonly understood identity, but before us we have an important opportunity to move beyond trade and to clarify our collective personality. To the extent that we can instill a greater sense of “north americaness” across our three countries, we will also increase our ability to ensure regional peace and economic prosperity.
* Amy Glover is president of Agil(e) and Co-Chair of 5050 Women on Boards in Mexico. Twitter: @chilangagringa
