CETA facing significant roadblocks at the European Business Summit
As the European Business Summit concluded, it appeared that the Canada-EU free trade agreement (CETA) faced obstacles that may not only impact its ratification, but the adoption of the Trans Pacific Partnership TPP, along with the more ambitious U.S.-EU trade accord. The event brought together a wide spectrum of stakeholders ranging from business executives from […]
Intellectual property debated in Ottawa as feds host trade deal consultations
The debate over intellectual property rights in Canadian health care continues as the government holds public consultations on a major Pacific rim trade deal. Yesterday, Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland (University-Rosedale, Ont.,) held a “town hall” on the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership at the University of Toronto. The Trudeau government signed the deal in February but says it […]
Canadian ambassadors get face time with PM, ministers
Canadian ambassadors were in Ottawa last week for the first global heads of mission conference in at least 30 years, and which appears set to become an annual occurrence under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Close to 135 of Canada’s ambassadors, high commissioners, and consuls general bonded over all-day panel discussions and talks from the prime minister and […]
Last dance for the Three Amigos?
OTTAWA—World leaders’ summits always have an illusory quality. Strangely, the set-up stories produced by journalists in advance of these high-profile meetings are almost always more interesting and dramatic than the reports on the events afterwards. That’s because the agreements reached, if any, are usually so incremental and torturously vague as to the exact nature of […]
To remove fossil fuel subsidies in ten years, a plan is needed now
For a decade now, the G20 club of major economies has promised to phase out fossil fuel subsidies. Progress has mainly been in the right direction, yet hundreds of billions of dollars are still spent each year to prop up prices for consumers or lend a hand to companies extracting fossil fuels. Encouragingly, a much-needed […]
Canada’s diplomatic brass: too white, too male
The Prime Minister is a feminist and there is gender parity in cabinet, but Canada’s foreign service still has a long way to go. Sources say that the foreign service has negative gaps in regards to the number of women it employs, as well as aboriginal peoples and persons with disabilities. According to a public […]
It will take a lot of digging to strike a new Canada-China ‘golden era’
When China’s foreign minister visiting Ottawa last week tore a strip off of a Canadian reporter for asking a critical question, it illustrated two very different things. Wang Yi, angrily waving his pen, said the reporter was “full of prejudice against China and arrogance” for asking about China’s human-rights record and its imprisonment of a Canadian, […]
Why Canada should look down under for its innovation roadmap
OTTAWA—From the moment that the Liberal government renamed Industry Canada to Innovation, Science, and Economic Development it sent a clear signal that innovation is a top policy priority. Indeed, in recent months Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains has repeatedly called for bold policies focused on addressing Canada’s dismal innovation record. While the specifics of the Canadian […]
Bureaucrats played up TPP advantages in Freeland welcome briefing
Federal public servants played up the benefits of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal to incoming Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland last fall, according to a briefing document prepared shortly after the federal election. Ms. Freeland, however, decided to take a neutral stance on the deal. Global Affairs Canada also suggested Ms. Freeland (University-Rosedale, Ont.) move “quickly” on […]
Politics this morning: Fisheries Minister Hunter Tootoo exits caucus to seek addiction treatment
Today is Wednesday, June 1. Here are the three things you should know before you start your day: Last night, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Fisheries, Oceans, and Canadian Coast Guard Minister Hunter Tootoo has resigned his position and has left caucus to seek addictions treatment. Dominic LeBlanc will be assuming the role on […]
