Tariffs and our friends to the North.

What Canadians think of a growing adversaria climate with the United States.

And celebrating the Irish, their traditions and that great parade in The Cities.

[lively music] [music ends] It didn't take long for the president to react to the U.S.

Supreme Court's decision striking down many of his tariffs.

But the impact on one of our trading partners, Canada, still remains unclear.

That's because of a separate trade agreement between the largest North American countries, the USMCA, covering the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Now that agreement is expected to be renegotiated in some ways this summer.

There has been increasing tension, of course, between the US and our friends to the north.

That includes everything from US threats to block a new bridge linking Detroit to Canad from opening, to Canada's prime minister, strikin trade deals with other countries to reduce its reliance on trade with the US.

So with that backdrop, I was able to talk with the Canadian consul general to the Upper Midwest.

Beth Richardson is based in Minneapolis, and I talked with he during her recent visit to Iowa.

Let me talk about what the Prime Minister has said.

He said Canada was the first country to understan the change in US trade policy.

That he, being Mr.

Trump, initiated, and we've responded to that.

Very much so.

Is that fighting language or is that just reality?

It's pragmatism and realism, right?

I mean, we understand the world has changed and our Prim Minister is working very hard, including domestically, to try to make sure that we're able to take advantage of the opportunities of the next era.

The argument is that, that Canada now needs to find markets not necessarily tied t the United States.

In that way, he also said nostalgia is not a strategy.

The old order is not coming back.

Uh huh.

Is that a way of saying we are leaving some of the embrace of the United States?

Neither Canada nor the United States will be moving anytime soon, right?

We're neighbors.

We've been neighbors for centuries since we both became countries.

We've always been each other's primary economic partner, and that will continue.

And that's why we're pushing so hard for, a clean review of the USMCA.

For the next 16 years, because our businesses and, frankly, American businesses and industry associations really want predictability to lower costs for consumers and to build efficiencies into their system.

Now, he has set a target of doubling our exports to other countries in addition to not instead of in addition to the trade we do with the United States.

And so we're working quite aggressively with Canadian companies to help them leverage the free trade agreements we have to to go beyond exporting to the United States to start looking at other markets in Europe and Asia and Mexico.

As well as markets such as China that Canada has looked at as well, which seems to have antagonized President Trump.

Is that a worry?

So China is Canada' second largest trading partner.

It's also it's also the United States second largest trading partner.

We do about $130 billion wort of trade with China every year.

So a fraction of what the United States trades with China.

And China had implemented a number of tariffs on our primary agricultural imports, from Canada, primarily canola.

And so it was a high priority for Canadian producers to try to get those tariffs down, which was the success of that visit.

Do you think it is going to antagonize the presiden or the American trade partners when you're going into this renegotiation of a USMCA?

Never would I presume to understand the thinkin of the American administration.

You know, talks are ongoing between the USCR and their Canadian and Mexican counterparts.

And what what the American side brings to the tabl in terms of USMCA negotiations, not renegotiations, review, we'll look at and respond to.

Do you worry that perhaps in some ways it could even be scrapped?

More than a review, but almost a rehaul?

There' a few different elements there.

Scrapped.

Rehaul.

Review.

President Trump wanted built in, a five year review process, which is what, is ongoing this year.

The United States government, issued a call for public comments, last fall, as did Canada and Mexico.

We saw the overwhelming number of, businesses and industry association in Canada and the United States were in support of a review of the USMCA.

And we have, no indication that it will be otherwise.

Relations between Canada and the US have always been incredibly smooth.

Uh huh.

And it just has not been that way over the last 13 months.

What is the Canadian view, then, of America today?

I might challenge you exactly on that view, because the USMCA is still in effect and the vast majority of trade, more than 85% is still moving back and forth between the United States and Canada under USMCA, very smoothly, relatively friction free.

So... Perhaps Im thinking more politically and socially.

...yeah.

Between the two nations.

Yeah.

Canadians and Americans are tw different cultures and nations, and we won't always exactly see eye to eye.

We had our former finance minister here the other, last year and, he said, you got to consider your Canadian or American counterparts like your brother-in-law.

You might not talk to him every day or even want to, but you'll always crash on his sofa when you need a place to sleep.

I think, Canadians know American well, Americans know Canadians well, as you saw from our lunch today.

And the foundation of those friendships will help us get through this time.

There has been, a decline, I don't have exact numbers, of a tourism between Canada and the US.

Yeah.

Which shows some kind of hesitancy among Canadians towards their, brother in law, to the south.

Do you think that's long lasting, or is that something that, and I hate to say it this way, you're just waiting for for years to end.

Again, I can't speak for how Canadians are perceiving this issue.

Canadians are making decisions based on what they think is best for our country, and they'll do tha in all different sorts of ways.

And that's that's their right as Canadian citizens to make those economic decisions on their own.

You, of course, are intimately knowledgeable about, what is it, two, four, five, six states.

The Dakotas, Nebraska, Minnesota and Iowa.

Five.

Thank you very much.

And the Iowa link to Canada as you pointed out, is very strong.

Particularly agriculture and agricultural products.

The things that Canada produces that are inside, Iowan made, products The interlink between this state and your country really is immense, is it not?

It's enormous.

It's about $9 billion in trade back and forth each year.

We buy 30% of everything.

Iowa exports about $5 billion in purchases.

And many of our exports to Iowa are inputs into U.S.

processes.

So, general General Mills, you know, Quaker Oats.

Iowa also imports a lot of weanling pigs from Canada.

And one of Iowa's top exports to Canada is pork and bacon.

So we can see the inter link between, between our companies.

And how can that be strengthened?

How do you increase something like that?

Uh huh.

Well, I think as, as we become more prosperous on both sides of the border, that offers a natural opportunity for growth.

But I would offer particularly in the agricultural sector, there's tremendous opportunity for agtech to revolutionize yield.

For, they are called natural pesticides, right?

Bio bioengineered, pesticides and treatment for soil conservation.

These are all technologies that Canada is bringing to the United States that we have, American researchers working with Canadians on to try to, increas yield and food safety and food nutrition in a way that makes our agricultura products globally competitive.

You know, we don't just trade them back and forth between each other.

We trade them with the entire world.

And the more we can supercharge that industry, the better it will be on both sides of our border.

You said, last June before th Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, and I quote you now, “We want to keep the border as friction free as possible for trade and visitors.” Do you think that's being accomplished?

I absolutely think that's being accomplished, yes.

USMCA is the primary vehicle to keep, to keep the border friction free for businesses.

And for people, obviously, Canadians don't need a visa to travel to the United States as a visitor.

And the same in reverse.

And we've invested heavily in a border action plan to address President Trump's concerns and American concerns about, movement across the border.

It's generally, I mean, it's a challenge for our law enforcement, but our law enforcement are working very closely togethe to make sure that our border is, frictio free for businesses and visitors and, impossible to try to, to get across.

Because you also pointed out, in 2025, last year, the investment that the Canadian government had made on border security, increased use of drones and other mechanisms along the border.

What have you noticed that has change because of that added security?

So, I don't have up to date statistics on interdictions, I have to say.

Our law enforcement partners have always collaborated very closely together.

So CBP border, the Border Patro and then on the Canadian side, the Canadian Border Services Agency.

So we know that and we hear from American legislators that they're hearing from their law enforcement partners that, that cooperation is intensifying.

So that's a positive element.

What do you see for 2026, then?

Because obviously reviewing the trade agreement, Mexico, Canada and the United States is perhaps forefront.

What what else is it that you think is going to be a challenge in 2026?

Yeah.

I mean, for a Canadian stationed in the United States representing Canada, our focus is, our focus i on making sure that we can help bring some predictability to businesses in this moment, so that they can continue to prosper.

And our, our, outreach has really been, focused on helping helping companies and businesses understan how integrated our economy is.

This is a moment, I think, fo pragmatism in a turbulent world.

It's a moment for pragmatism.

And certainly the people that we spoke with today, business people who are doing trade day in, day out, they get the need fo pragmatism and predictability.

Our thanks to the Canadian consul general to the upper Midwest, Beth Richardson.

Just ahead, getting ready for the cities to turn green.

And that's a big dea as we start the month of March.

So let's loo at some of the other big events this month, thanks to visit Quad Cities.

[soft music] Check out the things to do this week in the Quad Cities.

Start your week off by enjoying this musical celebration of female country music stars titled Honky Tonk Angels.

Then get ready to see Chris Kattan at the Adler Theater as part of the Laugh QC Thursday night comedy series.

Next, get ready to dance the night away.

Experience silent disco in the Redstone Room at Common Cord.

Then we are excited to welcome back the largest event in Illinoi for competitive women's bowling.

Watch the excitement at Highland Park Bowl.

Finally, enjoy the nation's only Bi-State Grand Parade.

Celebrate Saint Patrick's Day as this parade winds throughout the Quad Cities.

For more events like these, check out our events calendar at VisitQuadCities.com [music ends] Saint Patrick' Day is coming up, and the cities will actually start celebrating days earlier, culminating for some with the bi-state parade on Saturday the 14th.

And this is a big year for the parade.

2026 marks 40 years since the parade started linking Rock Island with Davenport.

And joining us is the presiden of the Saint Patrick's Society of the Quad Cities, Joseph Patrick Dooley.

Well, the Saint Patrick's Day Grand Parade is marking its 40th year this year.

That's pretty impressive.

Yes, it is 40 years.

And to quote the grea Irish philosopher Bob OSeeger.

“40 years, where have they gone?” [laughs] Oh.

Bob OSeeger I never... I adopted him.

We're all Irish on Sunday.

He's one of my favorites, so.

That's absolutely perfect.

How much of an effort is it to put on this parade?

Because as you pointed out, a lot of the parades are put on by cities, by by by government, so to speak.

This is by the Saint Patrick's Society of the Quad Cities.

Correct.

Were private, heritage group.

You know, and and the whole goal was to celebrate the Irish in the Quad Cities.

The American Irish, as I call them.

Our heritage, our contributions.

And, of course, to honor Saint Patrick.

So, it's it's it's a lot of work, but it's, labor of love.

And, we have a solid core of people on our board, our members, the people that participate in the the parade itself.

It all comes together.

And, it's just a great it's a great way to... We're going into spring daylight savings time.

Let's have a parade and celebrate.

Well and this parade, in my opinion, when I, you know, in the Quad Cities, this is the unofficial start of spring in my opinion.

I know it's snowed sometimes.

I know there's bad weather afterwards sometimes.

But this is, to m the unofficial start of spring, and the crowd that comes out is second to none.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I think, you know, again, like you say, winter's coming to an end and they realize, hey, we're going to get out.

The parade must be mean warm weather coming along.

So it's just phenomenal.

We start fourth Avenu and 23rd Street in Rock Island, and the Polish pub is right there, and, the crowds, they're lining up there, you know, 560.

And the further you go zigzagging through Rock Island it just gets larger and larger.

Well, because I said, I mean, my perspective has always been in the parade rather than a participant.

And you're absolutely right.

I mean, you get to you get to some of these corners and Rock Island, and then you g down the bridge into Davenport, and the crowd is, the children, and the crowd is amazing.

Yeah.

And you've built 40 years of that.

That's not an easy thing to do.

Well, like I say, we've had a great bunch of people for 40 years in the Saint Patrick's Society making it happen.

And, the peopl that that watch, the spectators, they know what's coming.

And now their, their kids and their grandkids are coming in and it's multi-generational, so... And it's important too because one of my favorite parts is always when you have the families and they have the float or the or they have the banners.

I mean, is that a key?

Because you really want to celebrate Irish heritage.

You don't just want it to be like every, I don't mean to dismiss other people's parades, but you don't want to just like every other parade.

Oh, no.

There's just huge effort, put into this creativity the floats that are built and you figure the time and the money invested and, the thought the proces to to honor their Irish heritage and, the marching groups that come along to honor their family clans.

I mean, it's phenomenal.

And it's just, I love classic cars.

I have one, but our parade is not cars and trucks.

It's it's creativity honoring their heritage.

And, a lot of work goes into it, but it jus it feeds off itself each year.

Well, and Saint Patrick's Day in the Quad Cities is also not just the parade.

And it really is a tim to celebrate the Irish heritage in the Quad Cities.

You have the Irish Mother of the year.

You, of course, point out, the, grand marshal for the parade is somebody that you always like to to point out, specifically.

And you also have scholarship programs.

So tell me about those aspects of Saint Patrick's Day in the Quad Cities that people may not know.

Well, and this year our grand marshal is Jeff Rusk of Rock Island.

A long line of, Irish in his family going back.

Pre-revolution.

So, on both sides of his family.

We have yet to pick an Irish mother, but, we select people that are involved and, you know, have Irish histor and their family to celebrate.

And, so we have yet to pick an Irish mother.

That will be later this month.

And, uh... The scholarship we well.

The scholarship.

yes we, thanks to some generous anonymous donations, we're able to award two scholarships again this year.

And, those are awarded, to college bound students.

The only the basic requirement is their desire to pursue, pursue school schooling after high school.

And that they be related t someone in the Saint Patricks Society.

And, so, again because of generous donations, we can award two $1,500 scholarships to, to worthy students.

So tell me a little bit about Irish culture in the Quad Cities, because you think o the Belgian village, you think of, the German heritag with the German American Center.

But the Irish history is thriving as well.

Oh, sure.

We're like, you know, every group that's come into America.

Many came here, you know, seeking new opportunities.

In the case of Ireland, there are two ways of immigration.

One was, pre-American Revolution.

And then the second was during the famine.

The potato famine, which was the 1830s?

1840s.

Alright.

Late 30s and into the 40s, where millions were starving in Ireland and, they fled the country and they, went all over the world.

But a great number came to America.

And, like every group before them and after, you know, they face their acceptance problems, from those that were here before.

But, they made their way and, they spread out acros the country, say, in this area, they came whether they were, when coal mining was still a source for employment in southern Iowa and southern Illinois or on the railroads, you know, building infrastructure, building the bridges and, then settling and starting businesses and, you know, that's that's what we want to honor.

And we have our Irish memorial at Second and Harrison.

I was going to point that out because in the last few years, that was part of your fundraising effort was was for that memorial.

And and, you know, it is something tangible.

It's nice to see that throughout the year.

How important was it to complete that project?

Oh, John Scally, the late John Scally... Always should point him out, right?

He was our long tim parade chairman for 25 parades, I believe.

And, uh, he was the driving force behind that memorial.

And, uh Lou Quaintance, who's a native of Silvis.

Famous sculptor around the world.

He's based in San Diego now but he created the sculpture of a father, mother and their child.

The father's looking forward to America.

The mother's looking back, you know, saying goodbye to Ireland and the child, you just kind of, they're, where are we going?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

But, that's just to honor those that came over in the in the 1800s and, you know, made us all what we are.

Well, I mean, keeping this parade going, like we're saying it's the 40th year for that, the society started two years before the parade?

One year, our first gathering of the clan luncheon was, in ‘85.

And that kind of, was the kickoff to build up for the parade the following year in ‘86.

Well, and there's there's there's the John Scallys.

There is the, Joe Dooley's.

There are so many people that have helped it over the last 40 years.

That next generation, that next wave.

Whenever you have organizations like this, getting them involved, getting them, to help and volunteer and all that.

How difficult is it right now to to start moving, that you've got 1000 years left, I understand.

Oh, yeah, yeah!

But but you always want that young blood in there.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah.

And we're always looking and, you know, people do come along and, you know, get involved.

We've got a solid team right now.

We've they've been there for years.

Julie Walton is our current parade chair co-chair with Denny Venus, and they've been involved.

Denny was involved from the beginning, and Julie's been, involved for good 15, 20 years.

So, we have, those two, many of our other board members and, committee chairs have been around for decades.

But, yeah, we're always lookin for fresh blood and welcoming, you know, to come along and join us and take over when the when the time is right.

Well, because, well, because you also want the traditions to continue, but you want the pride to continue.

Definitely, definitely.

You know, and then some of us are further I mean, my parents, my, my grandparents wer far more German than my parents, as am I. And my great grandparents were, you know, heavy accented Germans coming into the Midwest.

Yeah.

So, I mean, as, as the generations, grow further awa from that original generation, it's hard to keep that culture alive.

Well... And perhaps more important now than ever.

Yes, yes.

Because, you know, when I was young, growing up, you know.

Okay.

Saint Patrick's Day was where you wore, a green hat.

And, you listen to Bing Crosby sing To Ra Loo Ral Loo Ral.

Nothing wrong with that.

But that isnt Irish heritage.

That was more of the American aspect coming in.

So, yeah, this kind of has rejuvenated a lot of that.

And, a lot of your your different groups out there, they're probably facing the same thing, you know, passing on those traditions to the young ones and and hoping they carry on.

So, that's definitely, what I'm all about.

And the Saint Patrick's Society is all about.

That's why I emphasize the Grand Parade, the Saint Patrick's Society, and, you know, just to keep that going.

Yeah, well and, well and as I keep pointing out, it's also the Gathering of the Clan, the luncheon, which is, really a true, salute to Irish heritage in the Quad Cities.

The church service, of course, which I didn't mention.

But that's an important part of this.

And then it all kind of ends with the bash at the River Center.

That's really grown.

I mean, you've got you've got bands.

You had everything going on after the parade.

Yeah.

And it was kind of what?

Where did that Genesis come from?

Is like, okay, we I don't always sa we've captured all these people, but it was like after the parade to disperse, people were going, well, okay, now what?

And this works out.

It's a good, period at the end of the sentence.

Since the beginning, there was the luncheon on Friday to introduce the grand marshal, and Irish mother, and the scholarship winner or winners, and then, since day one, pre parade the mass at Sain Mary's at 10:00 and then parade kicks off at 11:30 promptly, as John Scally used to say.

And then to bash the bash of first, the first 13 years.

I'm sorry.

More than that, 27 years was at the Coll Ballroom, and we always had bands down there, and we have Irish dancers that come in.

And then in ‘13 we moved to the River Center.

And, this year we're bringing in a second band, Wilde Nept, out of Cedar Rapids.

And they're going to be very rousing, might I say, Irish rebel music band.

There you go.

But, we also have Barley House, which is local.

And then the Champagne Academy of Irish Dance is out of, they have, the academy in North Liberty, and they also have a school out at Bishop Hill.

But they will, close the bash, with dancing.

And they're phenomenal.

And all the bands you know, Barley House is great.

And, Wilde Nept used to play our air and fish years back when we have the air and fish.

So, but they're coming back after, a 20 year world tour.

So on this particular day, everyone is Irish, right?

Yeah.

We we accept everyone, even even even maybe some English, but, Ha, ha!

They have to be on their best behavior.

There you go Thanks so much for joining us.

Thanks for having me again I appreciate it.

Our thanks to the presiden of the Saint Patricks Society of the Quad Cities, Joseph Patrick Dooley.

And once again, the weekend actually starts with the Gathering of the Clan Luncheon.

That's on Friday, March 13th.

The Parade and Post Parade Bash events are on Saturday.

It took a spark to create this nation and each of us has a spark that keeps it going.

As America gets read to celebrate its 250th birthday, we're asking people in the cities about their Civic Spark.

What made the get into the careers they chose, and how does it benefit all of us?

We posed that question to Tom Fisher-King, executive director of the Habita for Humanity in the Quad Cities.

[soft pulsing music] Habitat is important because it is providing families safe, decent and affordable housing.

My spark is simply because needed that as a child as well.

And I understan what housing means for a family having the same place to go to every single day.

The stability of what housing provides.

We know that when individuals are housed, children do better educationally.

Parents show up for work.

We know all of these studies that go behind housing.

And so I am absolutely humbled to be part of Habitat and to be able to provide that for families because it is right.

And I understand what that house means to those individuals.

[music ends] Our thanks to Tom Fisher King, executive director of Habitat for Humanity, Quad cities.

On the air, on the radio, on the web, on your mobile devic and streaming on your computer, thanks for taking some time to join us as we talk about the issues of The Cities.

[livley music] [music ends]