Donald Trump and the strange case of the populist disconnect
OTTAWA—Steve Verheul, a seasoned and usually circumspect Canadian trade negotiator, recently told an audience in Ottawa that the current talks on NAFTA bringing Canada, Mexico, and the United States to the bargaining table are the strangest of its kind he’s ever experienced. “The U.S. approach is to focus on the U.S. perspective only, rather than […]
Condemning China’s cheap steel Canada’s best defence against U.S. tariffs, say steel caucus MPs
The Liberals will have to address American fears that Canada is being used as an entry point for cheap Chinese steel flooding the United States market if the government wants the threat of tariffs gone and a permanent exemption in its place, caution MPs from steel towns. But as the NAFTA renegotiations continue and U.S. […]
CPTPP is in the bag, but Liberals failing to execute on trade with Asia, say top Senator, trade analyst
The federal Liberal government hasn’t done enough to expand trade ties in Asia, say a top Trudeau-appointed Senator and a prominent Ottawa trade analyst, despite signing the CPTPP, an 11-country trade agreement for the Asia-Pacific region, last week. “They get high marks for ambition, but low marks for execution,” said Independent Senator Yuen Pau Woo […]
Government trade deals leave Canadian farmers feeling put out to pasture
The supply management sector of Canadian agriculture has been thriving vibrantly for decades, without reliance on the level of subsidies that its U.S. and European Union counterparts depend on for success. However, the Government of Canada, despite its repeated assurances of support, is set to deliver “death by a thousand cuts” to supply-managed sectors through […]
‘Trade is vital for our agriculture sector,’ says MacAulay as Canada inks CPTPP
To borrow a sports analogy, Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay has been playing offence and defence when it comes to seeking international markets for Canadian agricultural products for the past year and a half. For example, Mr. MacAulay (Cardigan, P.E.I.) visited China last year in hopes of opening new markets for Canadian agricultural products. Demand for […]
Under the Liberals, agriculture is an afterthought
By not taking our trade partnerships seriously and ignoring the relationship between international trade and Canadian agriculture is a foolhardy position by the current Liberal government. Canada is the fifth largest net agri-food exporter in the world and it is an integral pillar on our economy especially in rural communities. The need to secure vital […]
Agriculture
While protectionists idle, Canada is building prosperity at full steam
Canadian exporters are not sleeping well these days. They might be processing a lot of cross-border orders thanks to the booming economy in the United States, but they worry it will all unravel in an instant. At the same time, there seems to be a lot of global support for the anti-trade movement. It has […]
Baking or on the back burner: Taking the temperature of Canada’s trade deals
Trade experts say Canada needs to focus on ratifying the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and should begin to look into securing trade opportunities with growing markets in South America and Southeast Asia to diversify its trade portfolio at a time when its largest trading partner is being difficult. Here are some […]
Trade is important, but not at any price
Re: What’s at stake in Canada’s lost Philippines helicopter deal? (The Hill Times, Feb.28, p. 16). Op-ed writer Omar Allam argues that Canada’s credibility and reputation are at risk depending on the outcome of the government’s review of the $300-million sale of Canadian Bell helicopters to the Philippine Air Force. However, an argument can be made that Canada’s […]
