Former International Trade Minister David Emerson is warning Canada’s small population base and neglect in supporting its natural resources industry will put it at a disadvantage in bilateral trade talks. In an interview on BNN, Emerson said Canada is liable to be bowled over by the negotiating strength and force of will of the United States due to that confluence of factors.

“We’ve not been very supportive of our natural resource industries, which have been really the source of Canadian wealth generation for the last several decades,” he said on Monday. “We don’t approve projects anymore: we hate pipelines, we don’t like carbon fuels, softwood lumber is going to get kicked in the teeth, coal is going down the chute.”

Emerson said Canada should be aggressive in pursuing multi-party trade deals, where there are more variables in play than bilateral negotiations.

“Canada is a small market, and when you’re doing trade negotiations, what do you have to trade?” he said. “You’re better off in a larger negotiation with more players, and more issues and more focus on creating a level playing field of rules for multiple trading partners because you have a little more leverage in that setting.”

Emerson said Canada should prioritize trade agreements with China, Japan and other Pacific Rim nations as the United States appears poised to cloister itself from international trade.

“I think the relationship with China that Canada has is an opportunity to look at ways of using that to counter some of the worst instincts that may be developing in the United States,” he said.

However, Emerson warned the process of strengthening ties with the world’s second-largest economy will not be an easy one.

“We’re going to have to not be reserved, not be shy, not be quiet,” he said. “We’re going to have to actually roll up our sleeves and get in there, because if we do not develop our Asia trade opportunities, the Canadian economy could pay a serious price."

“We’re going to have some real serious challenges going forward.”