Canada’s diversification imperative
Trade is critical to our prosperity, but if Canada is to effectively protect and expand upon our global markets, we literally cannot afford to do trade the way it has always been done. Budget 2018 has made equality of access and opportunity a central pillar of how we can grow and strengthen our economy. We […]
Canada, EU push for new investment court as other countries shy away
With little public discussion, Canada agreed to substitute an investment tribunal for investor-state arbitration in the Canadian-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) text in early 2017. In December 2017, again without much public discussion, Canada agreed to support the European Union in its international efforts to promote the creation of a multilateral investment […]
Donald Trump’s tactical trade belligerence
Nobody ever said Donald Trump was subtle. But his lack of subtlety is easy to lose sight of, obscured as it gets by his belligerence, combustibility, and recklessness. We were reminded of his lack of subtlety last week when he tweeted “Trade wars are good, and easy to win.” Coming as it did March 2 during […]
How many more rounds of tariffs must Canada endure before the Liberals take trade seriously?
Back in 2015, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declared in front of the entire world: “Canada is back, and here to help.” More than two years later, the question I continue to ask is: “help who?” The Liberal government has promised to move Canada towards progressive and effective trade relationships; yet, Canadian industries have been taking […]
Aluminum, steel tariffs the latest in ‘laundry list’ of Canada-U.S. trade tussles
While Canadian, Mexican, and American negotiators were in Mexico City in the seventh round of discussion to bring down trade barriers through a revised North American Free Trade Agreement on March 1, United States President Donald Trump was seeking to erect another roadblock, adding to the “laundry list” of trade irritants stacking up in recent months […]
Budget mum on NAFTA as Trump plots new tariffs and lumber dispute continues
The Trudeau government pledged $191-million over five years in this year’s budget to help “support softwood lumber jobs,” including litigation over tariffs introduced by the United States, but largely steered clear of any potentially controversial provisions on continental trade in the annual spending blueprint, according to trade expert Dan Ciuriak. Mr. Ciuriak, a fellow-in-residence at […]
Slip-sliding away: Canada’s declining competitive position
Add a protectionist United States trade agenda to a Canadian government ambivalent to business and you get a situation that is increasingly very concerning to me and many Canadians. Foreign direct investment to Canada has frozen. Canadian companies’ investments are increasingly headed south. Unless we pull a U-turn fast, Canada risks an economic slowdown: our […]
As U.S. marches toward trade war, Canada seeks inroads in Asia, S. America
The Trudeau government’s pivot to Asia finally scored its first multilateral trade deal this year, when Canada joined 10 other countries in the Pacific Rim region in agreeing to the terms of the resurrected and renamed Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, or CPTPP. Those countries are set to sign the deal officially at […]
Ports and airports anxiously awaiting trade corridors announcement, as 2018 construction projects put on pause
With only a few months away from the summer construction season, money from a multi-billion-dollar fund to improve trade corridors hasn’t flowed out the door yet, say industry groups representing applicants for federal grants to improve their ports, airports, and roads. The National Trade Corridors Fund (NTCF) is a $2-billion chunk of a total of […]
Liberals bungle trade with India, China
The Conservative Party of Canada is the party of free trade, having secured trade access to more than 50 countries while in office. Major trade agreements such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the Canada-European Union free trade agreement (CETA) are legacies of past Conservative governments. Conservatives recognize that one in five […]
