By Emilio Cadena, CEO of Prodensa
As both a voice for and a member of Mexico’s industry, and as part of a business community committed to strengthening North America, I want to congratulate Canada’s new Prime Minister, Mark Carney. His arrival to Canadian leadership comes at a critical juncture—one in which our decisions will determine whether North America continues to be a strategic and resilient manufacturing region, or if we allow the opportunities for integration to fade amid political fragmentation, regulatory distrust, and Asian competition.
Mexico is not just a trading partner. It is a strategic ally. It is here that North American ideas become tangible products. From auto parts to clean technologies, what is designed in Canada or Silicon Valley is often manufactured in Monterrey, Querétaro, or Chihuahua. But the success of that collaboration does not rely solely on free trade agreements. It depends on trust.
And trust is built by understanding not only the opportunities, but also the barriers.
Mexico offers Canada more than just preferential access to the U.S. market. It brings a young, adaptable workforce—over 450,000 students are currently enrolled in electronics-related programs—and a manufacturing sector that consistently meets global standards. Mexico is now the world’s fourth-largest vehicle producer, with the automotive industry representing over 17% of national manufacturing output.
We also share growing interests in strategic areas like semiconductors, EVs, and clean energy. Recent nearshoring trends, supported by the USMCA, have strengthened cross-border manufacturing ties (60% of maquiladora operations are concentrated near the U.S. border, creating nearly 3 million jobs and driving regional integration).
But for this collaboration to thrive, we need more than trade agreements. Aligning regulatory visions, recognizing cultural differences, and designing long-term mechanisms will be key to unlocking North America’s full potential.
At Prodensa, we’ve spent over four decades facilitating foreign investment in Mexico. We know that doing business in Mexico takes time—but more importantly, it takes perspective. It’s not enough to understand the law; one must understand the context. It’s not enough to install a plant; one must develop the talent. And it’s not enough to trade; one must build community.
As Prime Minister Carney assumes office, he holds a historic opportunity to transform the bilateral relationship into a true productive alliance. One that is not only measured in trade figures, but in joint projects, shared capabilities, and a continental vision where competitiveness is built through consensus, not imposition.
For a resilient and prosperous North America, we must move beyond improvising responses to every commercial or political crisis. We need to institutionalize integration. We need to bring Mexico, Canada, and the United States to the same table to design a shared industrial strategy—one where benefits are not concentrated, but distributed.
Prime Minister, Mexico is ready to collaborate. But it also needs reciprocity. We need Canada to see us not just as a useful partner, but as a trusted one. Mutual trust—not tariffs or political rhetoric—will be the real engine of North American competitiveness.
Canada and Mexico have much to gain if we take this step together. And history won’t wait.