Freeland strikes alliance with populist Maine governor who understands value of trade
Canada’s NAFTA lobbyist-in-chief has revealed the key but unorthodox ally she has found inside U.S. President Donald Trump’s inner circle—one who is fluent in the president’s own bombastic political language. Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland told a committee of MPs last week that she often speaks with him on the phone to discuss ways the […]
Don’t believe Freeland, NAFTA renegotiations aren’t win-win
TORONTO—The Americans didn’t waste any time in reminding Canada and Mexico that they were serious in making NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement, more favourable to U.S. interests. The goal is to pursue “America First” and this was made clear from Day 1 of the negotiations now underway. So much for Foreign Affairs Minister […]
Brian Mulroney was no Donald Trump
Re: “Was Mulroney Trump before there was Trump?” (The Hill Times, Aug. 14, p. 10). Like most people, I watched in horror the violence of the white supremacist movement in Charlottesville, Va., in defence of a message of hate. I was even more shocked to listen to the president of the United States create a […]
Canada-China energy relationship expected to widen as China pours billions into clean-tech sector
In a keynote speech delivered by Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr at the Canadian Embassy in Beijing this June, he proclaimed that Canada is “open for business.” Minister Carr led a delegation to China earlier this summer to promote investment in Canadian natural resources, with a stop at the Sino-Canadian Low-Carbon Eco-District in Tianjin, a […]
Politics This Morning: party leaders react to deadly Barcelona attack
Good Friday morning, Global Affairs Canada is advising Canadians in Spain to avoid Barcelona’s Las Ramblas tourist area and heed the instructions of local authorities after Thursday’s deadly terror attack. The advisory comes after at least 13 people were killed and dozens more injured when a van deliberately swerved into a crowed pedestrian zone in Las Ramblas yesterday […]
Politics This Morning: Champagne touring Quebec in support of CETA
Good Thursday morning, International Trade Minister François-Philippe Champagne is visiting Sherbrooke today as part of his weeklong tour of Quebec promoting the soon-to-be enacted trade pact with the European Union, the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, known popularly as CETA. He will be joined by International Development Marie-Claude Bibeau in the southeastern Quebec city for a […]
Embrace innovation to succeed in global trade
For the last 21 months, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his team have been building Canada’s credibility around the world. Canada is working hard to perfect the art of influence by continuing to pursue a strong market-opening trade agenda. The country earned a lot of respect and global attention for concluding the Comprehensive Economic and […]
‘Serious possibility’ NAFTA revamp outlasts Trump; longer talks could help Canada, say analysts
It’s possible NAFTA renegotiations getting underway this week could hurdle past expected end-dates being floated by government officials and, in turn, give Canada an advantage, say trade analysts. Timelines suggesting the talks could wrap up late this year or early next don’t take into account major stumbling blocks in the United States, say trade analysts. The […]
Politics This Morning: NAFTA renegotiations launch in Washington
Good Wednesday morning, After months of tough talk, aggressive posturing, and nervous murmurs, renegotiations on the North American Free Trade Agreement begin today in Washington, D.C., with representatives from Canada, the U.S., and Mexico all set to participate. This first round of negotiations, spurred by aggressive criticisms of the existing pact by the Trump administration, […]
Freeland calls for 23-year-old NAFTA to be ‘more progressive’ on gender, Indigenous rights
Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland on Monday spelled out Canada’s major objectives in upcoming renegotiations on the North American Trade Agreement, signalling an intention to use the opportunity to make the 23-year-old trade pact “more progressive” by strengthening labour and environmental protections, and adding new chapters on gender and Indigenous rights. Appearing before the House International […]
