Agriculture minister most lobbied in February as trade, grain shipments topped industry interests
Lobbyists targeted Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay three times as often as his nearest cabinet colleague in February, as industry groups pushed trade interests and raised the alarm about a “crisis” in grain shipments, according to the latest lobby filings. Agriculture was the third-most popular subject lobbyists spoke to office holders about last month, with 373 mentions. Despite […]
With Taiwan in CPTPP, Canada will get a trade boost
Canada and 10 other countries in the Asia-Pacific region signed the historic Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) on March 8 in Chile. Taiwan welcomes this development, and is making every effort to meet the high standards required for entry into this important free trade bloc. Taiwan’s participation would increase significant economic […]
Shaping the ‘Canadian way’ in Africa
OTTAWA—I remember quite clearly one fall morning several years before I retired from Global Affairs Canada when I joined other staff at a roundtable coffee-and-muffins breakfast with the deputy minister responsible for international development. I was the last to speak. I described my responsibilities for trade in 25 countries in West and Central Africa. “My […]
Croatia sees growth in tourism, post-CETA trade after 25 years of ties
Trade is still “very modest,” but the ambassador of Croatia says signing the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement was a positive step that has “strengthened” bilateral relations between her country and Canada. CETA was 98 per cent provisionally implemented in September and Canada, as well as eight of 28 EU countries, have already […]
U.K. careens into economic, political unknown as time runs short on Brexit
OTTAWA—Euroskeptics are worried that British Prime Minister Theresa May will allow her country’s historic Brexit endeavour to degrade into nothing more than Brino. An acronym for “Brexit in name only,” Brino is a term used by British MP Jacob Rees-Mogg that encapsulates the angry concerns of anti-European Union stalwarts who are pushing for a clean […]
Free my grapes: Dismantling Canada’s interprovincial barriers to trade
In June 2016, the Senate of Canada released a report entitled “Tear Down These Walls: Dismantling Canada’s Internal Trade Barriers,” which called upon federal and provincial/territorial governments to take priority action on removing internal barriers to trade. The Senate views this call to action as an opportunity to lay the groundwork for growth and prosperity […]
Tillerson gone, Trump unleashed
Rex Tillerson did not suffer fools gladly. He called Donald Trump a “moron” in a private conversation after one meeting at the Pentagon, and did not take the opportunity to deny it when a journalist asked him in public. In meetings with the president, he would “roll his eyes and slouch” whenever Trump said something […]
Canada’s future economic prosperity requires more collaboration with Chinese companies
With all the headwinds buffeting international trade and investment, from ongoing negotiations about the future of NAFTA to a growing protectionist sentiment in many countries, it’s important that Canada keep an open mind about new opportunities wherever and whenever they arise. Many of these opportunities come from the second-largest economy in the world—China—but Canadians have […]
Through trade, Canada and Chile show they believe in keeping doors open
Canada and Chile are countries that have been successful largely as a result of an open approach to international trade. As many nations around the world take a step back from globalization, Canada and Chile have trade in their DNA and remain amongst the world’s strongest advocates for free and open trade. To stay on […]
Belgium expected to ratify CETA within the year, says envoy, despite earlier cold feet
Belgium’s ambassador says his country is on board with ratifying the Canada-European Union free trade deal before the country’s next election in 2019. After one part of the country held up the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement at a crucial point in 2016, “the perception [of CETA]….is much more positive than it was 18 months ago,” Raoul […]
