Enthusiasm for trade deals misses important but necessary step if Canadians are to benefit
TORONTO—There is this optimistic view that if we sign free trade agreements with other countries, exports and jobs will follow. It’s why there are frequent exhortations for Canada to sign more free trade deals, like the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans Pacific Partnership, before it the Canada-European Economic and Trade Agreement, and perhaps later with China. […]
Trudeau’s problem on the left
OAKVILLE, ONT.—While visiting in Davos recently, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did something a little unusual. And no I don’t mean he wore “duck-themed” socks. What I mean is, Trudeau held a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and didn’t tell the Canadian media about it. Surely, this is somewhat odd behaviour for a politician […]
Canada reaches agreement on revised TPP deal without the U.S.
Canada and the remaining signatories of the Trans Pacific Partnership have reached an agreement on a new trade pact that will not include the United States, providing the Trudeau government with a high-profile victory in its bid to open new markets in the prosperous Pacific Rim region. The 11 countries agreed in principle to the […]
House International Trade Committee delivers platitudes on NAFTA, misses a golden opportunity
TORONTO—It was a golden opportunity for the House International Trade Committee to report on the future of NAFTA and to make recommendations on what our negotiators should and shouldn’t do. But what we got from the 10 MPs on the committee instead were largely platitudes. It wasn’t for lack of information. The committee held 12 […]
Canada should be prepared to walk away from NAFTA if it can’t secure the best deal for Canadians
Free trade represents one of those rare areas where the majority of economists agree: when structured properly, significant benefits can accrue to all countries involved. NAFTA is a great example of such an agreement. It was implemented in 1994 and for the past 23 years, it has delivered increased prosperity and employment to Canadians, Americans, and […]
Conservatives willing to fight for NAFTA abroad, but Trudeau needs to prove he has a plan at home
The following is an edited excerpt from remarks Conservative Party leader Andrew Scheer delivered to the Mississauga Board of Trade on Jan. 12. Negotiations over the future of NAFTA are still underway. And they’re not going well. The government is signaling they expect the U.S. to try to pull out of the deal. We have […]
Poison pills and protectionism: negotiators still face long list of issues in next NAFTA round
Last week, trade observers could be forgiven for feeling whiplash after reports swung from Canadian advisers expecting an imminent United States withdrawal from NAFTA to U.S. President Donald Trump musing negotiations could continue past Mexico’s July presidential election. The fifth round of negotiations was supposed to be a ministerial meeting, but was a dialled back […]
NAFTA brings more power to Canada’s energy industry
United States President Donald Trump has famously called it “the worst trade deal ever made.” Some claim that it has cost Canada good jobs. For better or for worse, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) looks like it may soon be on its way out. This could have significant impacts on Canada’s energy sector. […]
So you want to withdraw from NAFTA: what happens next?
When it comes to how messy the legal fallout could be if U.S. President Donald Trump withdraws from NAFTA, “it’s going to be somewhere between a cluster-bleep, [and] a gongshow,” said the Canada West Foundation’s Carlo Dade. The only clear aspect is that the North American Free Trade Agreement will continue to be a trade priority […]
Can Trump really undo NAFTA on a whim?
I am not losing sleep about the threats to NAFTA from the United States administration. There are serious questions about whether U.S. President Donald Trump has the legal authority to unilaterally pull the U.S. out of NAFTA. And if he did, wouldn’t the previous Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement remain? The constitutional questions bear review. It […]
