Visiting MPs call for a revised European trade deal—but not that one
European Parliamentarians visited Ottawa last week to press for talks to update and expand Canada’s trade agreement with a group of countries on the continent outside of the European Union. The delegation came representing the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), a trading bloc comprised of Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. Canada has had a trade […]
Trade rules for food security: a Canadian contribution
When it comes to food security, international trade matters. An estimated 15 per cent of the world’s population depends on traded staple foods; in 2014, the value of the world food trade was over US$1.4-trillion. The supply, access and stability of food systems, and the quality of the nutrition people eat, are deeply integrated with […]
Got milk? Wisconsin has too much, but that’s not Canada’s problem
U.S. President Donald Trump recently denounced Canada’s dairy system. His animus resulted from a long-advertised change to Canadian dairy import regulations that affected ultra-filtered milk. The public face of the dispute is the about 75 dairy farmers in and around Wisconsin who were told that their milk was no longer needed by their processor, Grassland […]
Conservative projects will create real opportunities for northerners
Northern economic development poses unique challenges unlike those in any other region in Canada. The remoteness and the subsequently high cost of doing business demand carefully designed and well targeted investment. The Liberal government’s recently released budget claims to meet those demands, but the facts suggest otherwise. In reality, the financial arrangement and goals of […]
Liberals under pressure to provide more infrastructure dollars for the North
Critics, advocates, and political rivals are calling on the federal Liberal government to dedicate more resources to address the severe infrastructure deficit in Canada’s North, arguing they failed to set aside funds in the last budget specifically for northern communities. In the 2017 budget, the Liberal government earmarked $2-billion over 11 years for infrastructure projects in rural and […]
Territorial Development
Time to invest in smart cities
TORONTO—In a world that will become both more crowded and more urban, the interest and investment in smart cities can only grow. Canada has to decide where it fits in—will we be at the forefront of utilizing new digital technologies to improve city services and build more inclusive communities, while at the same time creating […]
Canada should support democracy, not just condemn the government, in Venezuela
“The Venezuelan people are again dying in the streets as they battle an ongoing coup d’état being carried out by a group of politicians who oppose our government, and who since April 19 have been carrying out acts of violence, killing people and destroying our national patrimony, just as they did in 2002 and 2014.” […]
Adiós, Agustín
Despite only having lived here for 16 months, Agustín García-López Loaeza’s residence in Westboro was full of framed photographs that formed a narrative of his time in Ottawa. There were a few photos of Mr. García-López with Governor General David Johnston, including one that appeared to feature the ambassador and Mr. Johnston right after he […]
Canadian farmers getting Trumped
U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent war of words on supply management has emboldened several anti-Canadian-farmer cheerleaders to emerge. Chief among them is Sylvain Charlebois, who speaks from his comfortable bubble as the dean of the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University. Charlebois sounds like he comes from the past when he indicates that killing supply management could […]
