Why?
The US has *easily* benefitted more from trade with Canada than they have from us. Just overlay the GDP, per capita income, or any other national metric.
And we *liked each other*. Two nations - sharing the longest undefended border on the planet - that get along, share a lot of common culture, and had a longstanding mutually beneficial trade relationship.
Even if you’re a collectivist-oriented protectionist striving for some Ceaușescu or Kim family or Albanian Hoxha crap — even those nutters didn’t pick a fight with an advantageous trading partner.
Their GDP is less than most states. We don’t need their oil, lumber or syrup. Alaska has more oil.
Vermont and others makes syrup.
We have more trees.
What else do we get?
They are practically socialist. They use our Healthcare system. They euthanize their people.
They rely on our military.