Lets talk sad tale Austrialia and some warnings for Canada. In 2017 they closed the last car plant and now they domestic shortage of natural gas. The economic planners of there are an inept bunch. I writng this some powerful people want Canada to follow the Australia path.
1. The idea of giving up on manufacturing is silly and counterproductive. Here in Canada the auto and aerospace industry do more domestic and R&D proportionally than other industry. Why would you allow the market to destroy the most intensive R&D sector in the economy? I am those people believe we need minimum reserve basic manufacturing and today we are well below that level. The simple reason is that factories produce added economic value product compared mining and farming. The trick to the touch product and alter it in some way that benefits the customer or buyer. I live in a community that has a lot farming in the area, sadly farming but it nature is very difficult add value too. I know there efforts here in the area change that and add value to products people farm here. In the economic history of countries you move up the value added train and so industries disappear. I want caution people some may thinking that a picking on farms, that is not the case. I believe there has to be a robust farming sector. Here is the scenario if for the logistical chain fails and there no imports in a country that left its farming to decline. Many could go hungry for the lack farming, look at Japan its region that has much military tension. If things go hot and shipping curtailed Japaesse people face my starvation because high population of almost 130 million people. Closer to home letting farming to decline, if we a situation that local production is curtailed, then we can ask our ally the US to move some production north. But if they have troubles as well. There would natural response to satisfy of the US population. What kind country would transfer farming resources if they there need on domestic of the market. So I believe Canada need a strategic reserve of farms that could be tapped any time where is need.