- The Canadian-American Reciprocity Treaty (also known as the Elgin-Marcy Treaty) between the United States and the United Kingdom, concerning British North America including the Province of Canada, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland Colony was one of the earliest efforts to establish free trade between Canada and the United States.
- The Treaty was in effect from 1854-1866 and although it was controversial at times, it mutually reduced import duties and protective tariffs on specific goods such as timber, grain, meats, butter, cheese, flour, fish and coal.
- The topic of reciprocity became especially relevant during this time period with Canada West (now known as Ontario) and the Maritime colonies over rights of American fisherman in the coastal waters of British North America, which ultimately sparked dialogue to develop a Treaty.
- This Treaty was eventually replaced by John A. MacDonald's National Policy in 1878.
Haynes, Frederick E. "Reciprocity Treaty with Canada of 1854."American Economic Association 7, no. 6, (November 1892): 7-70. https://www.jstor.org/stable/2485728
For more information regarding Canada-US economic history: https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/economic-canadian-american-relations
For more background information on the Reciprocity agreements/attempts between Canada-US: https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/reciprocity
For more information on the Reciprocity Treaty (1854): https://primarydocuments.ca/the-reciprocity-treaty-of-1854-canada-united-states-5-june-1854-ratified-february-1855-terminated-march-1866/
& https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-economic-history/article/abs/canadianamerican-reciprocity-treaty-of-1855-to-1866/43B9931704F67904DABB6474B5475F46
For a Fraser Institute Publication on how the 1854 treaty has impacts on modern day Canada-US Free Trade Agreements: https://www.fraserinstitute.org/blogs/an-1854-treaty-and-the-lessons-for-nafta