iffs ▁to ▁the ▁same ▁level ▁as ▁those ▁countries ▁that ▁admitted ▁Canadian ▁goods . ▁Political ▁r het or ic ▁made ▁it ▁a ▁party ▁issue : ▁the ▁Conserv atives , ▁which ▁stood ▁public ly ▁for ▁national ism ▁and ▁protection ism ▁(" the ▁National ▁Policy "), ▁succeeded ▁in ▁associ ating ▁the ▁Liber als ▁with ▁free ▁trade , ▁commercial ▁union ▁with ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁and ▁contin ental ism , ▁which ▁sm ack ed ▁of ▁absor ption ▁by ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 1 ▁Laur ier ' s ▁Liber als ▁successfully ▁negoti ated ▁a ▁reci pro city ▁treat y ▁with ▁American ▁president ▁William ▁Howard ▁T aft . ▁ ▁The ▁Conserv atives ▁made ▁it ▁the ▁central ▁issue ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 1 1 ▁election , ▁ign iting ▁anti - American ▁sentiment ▁by ▁dire ▁warnings ▁the ▁treat y ▁would ▁turn ▁the ▁economy ▁over ▁to ▁American ▁control . ▁The ▁Liber als ▁were ▁decis ively ▁defeated ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 1 1 ▁election , ▁and ▁the ▁treat y ▁was ▁rejected ▁by ▁the ▁new ▁Conserv ative ▁government ▁under ▁Robert ▁B orden . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁ ▁Canada – Un ited ▁States ▁Free ▁Trade ▁Ag re ement ▁ ▁National ▁Policy ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁S ources ▁ ▁An k li , ▁Robert ▁E . ▁" The ▁Re ci pro city ▁Tre aty ▁of ▁ 1 8 5 4 ," ▁Canadian ▁Journal ▁of ▁Econom ics ▁/ ▁Rev ue ▁canad ienne ▁d ' E conom ique , ▁ 4 # 1 ▁( F eb ., ▁ 1 9 7 1