Issue 75 | Spring 2025

Welcome back to Fraser Insight, the Fraser Institute’s U.S. newsletter. This springtime issue of Insight is highlighted by numerous items reacting to the Trump administration’s tariffs.

Leading off, the In Print section, as always, features a mix of op-eds and blogs. This issue is chock-full of pieces on the consequences of Trump’s tariffs, plus a few pushing back against environmental alarmism.

Our In Focus section highlights in-depth studies and podcast interviews. This issue features a report on the state of economic freedom in New Mexico and a podcast covering the work of Robert Nozick.

Finally, our In Context section offers info on a new Fraser Institute resource for following all the ins and outs of the Trump trade war.

We encourage you to share Fraser Insight with friends and colleagues by inviting them to sign up for Insight here [[link removed]]. Visit our website [[link removed]], which serves as a storehouse for cogent commentary [[link removed]] and in-depth analysis [[link removed]]—all from a free-market perspective. Follow us on Twitter [[link removed]]. Join us on Facebook [[link removed]]. And check out the In Touch section for more contact info.

In Print: Commentary and Review Trump Lays Ruin to Postwar Multilateral Global Trading System [[link removed]] Fraser Blog

Trump’s tariffs are a case study in intentional self-harm, driven by an inward-looking political and economic ideology that distrusts the outside world and aspires to reduce America’s engagement with and dependence on other countries. It is unlikely to end well.

How Trump’s Trade War Threatens U.S. Economic Freedom [[link removed]] News and Observer

President Trump’s constructive effort to bolster American economic freedom with his tax and regulatory plans is under threat not from his political opponents, but from the president himself.

Trump Goes 0-for-3 on Trade Knowledge [[link removed]] Financial Post

Trump is correct that the U.S. imports more from Canada than it exports to Canada. But that’s about where his trade knowledge ends.

Misinformed: Hyped Heat Deaths and Ignored Cold Deaths [[link removed]] Financial Post

Global warming indeed causes more heat waves, and these raise the risk that more people die because of heat. But almost everywhere in the world, cold kills 5-15 times more people than heat.

Historic Damage to a Globally Unique Relationship [[link removed]] Fraser Blog

Trump has treated America’s closest ally with disrespect and disregard for the wellbeing of its neighbor.

Solar and Wind Power Are Expensive [[link removed]] Financial Post

Adding more solar and wind to the energy supply pushes up the price of electricity.

Canada Should Consider Economic Union with the U.S. in Light of Trump Tariffs [[link removed]] Fraser Blog

The postwar European project can serve as a model for how Canada might approach the U.S.

On International Women’s Day, Let’s Appreciate the Indispensable Role Economic Freedom Plays in Progress [[link removed]] Discourse

Economic freedom empowers women to determine the course of their own lives, granting them greater independence and leaving them less vulnerable.

We Need to Get Smart about Climate [[link removed]] Financial Post

Climate policies force families and businesses to use more expensive energy, which slows economic growth.

Trump and Fentanyl: What Canada Should Do Next [[link removed]] National Post

While Canada doesn’t rival Mexico for the volume of pills being sent into the U.S., Canada has become a money-laundering hub that keeps Chinese and Mexican drug cartels in business.

Trump’s Trade War [[link removed]] Fraser Blog

The Trump administration’s self-chosen trade war is a watershed moment for Canadian foreign and commercial policy. The shock from this U.S. action will persist, even if the tariffs are in place for only a few months.

Canada Could Cut Deal with U.S.: Increase Defense Spending, Remove Tariffs [[link removed]] Fraser Blog

As a dependable ally, Canada should meet its NATO commitment to spend at least 2 percent of GDP on defense. But there’s another reason to live up to that promise—it’s good for trade.

Despite What Activists Say, the Planet Is Not on Fire [[link removed]] Financial Post

The ubiquity of phone cameras and our ability to instantly communicate mean that the media can show more weather disasters than ever before. But that doesn’t mean the disasters are deadlier or costlier.

Trump, Taunts and Trade [[link removed]] National Post

Anyone wanting to understand Trump’s current priorities should spend less time looking at trade statistics and more time understanding the details of the lawfare campaigns against him.

Canadian Energy Policies Make It More Vulnerable to Trump’s Tariffs [[link removed]] Calgary Herald

The U.S. is not just Canada’s largest energy customer—it’s nearly Canada’s only customer. This dependence on the U.S. for exports leaves the Canadian economy exposed to policy shifts in Washington and state capitals.

In Focus: Research and Analysis Economic Freedom in the Land of Enchantment [[link removed]]

New Mexico is one of the poorest states in the union. Its citizens are also some of the least-economically free. This is probably not a coincidence. This report—a joint publication of the Fraser Institute and the New Mexico-based Rio Grande Foundation—explores economic freedom in the Land of Enchantment. The authors conclude that New Mexico has much going for it—but could be far more prosperous if policymakers permitted New Mexicans to make more of their own economic choices.

Essential Scholars Series: Robert Nozick (Part 1, Part 2) [[link removed]]

Aeon Skoble, a professor at Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts and the author of The Essential Nozick [[link removed]], joins host Rosemarie Fike to discuss Nozick’s philosophical insights—personal autonomy, the morality of limited government, what a society based on these core principles might look like—and how they might be applied today.

In Context: News and Events New Webpage Focuses on Trump Trade War [[link removed]]

The Fraser Institute’s research team is churning out a steady stream of op-eds, blogs, essays, and reports exploring the consequences and costs of the Trump administration’s tariffs. To keep up-to-date and to stay informed, bookmark this new webpage [[link removed]] on the Trump trade war.

In Touch: Connect with Us To learn more about our research team, visit our senior staff [[link removed]] and senior fellow [[link removed]] pages. We always welcome your feedback at [[email protected]]. To find out more about supporting the Fraser Institute, call (800) 665-3558, ext.568, or donate online [[link removed]].

STAY UP TO DATE

The Fraser Institute is an independent Canadian public policy research and educational organization with offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal and ties to a global network of 86 think-tanks. Its mission is to measure, study, and communicate the impact of competitive markets and government intervention on the welfare of individuals. To protect the Institute's independence, it does not accept grants from governments or contracts for research. To find out more, call (800) 665-3558 ext. 590.

Visit our website [[link removed]]

If you no longer wish to receive e-mail updates from us, click here to unsubscribe [link removed].

Contact Us [[link removed]] Privacy Policy [[link removed]] Unsubscribe [link removed] Fraser Institute 4th Floor, 1770 Burrard Street Vancouver, BC V6J 3G7