Author Archives: Lawrence Herman
PM Brian Mulroney-His Trade Legacy under Threat
Op-Ed in Financial Post (Toronto)-Business & the WTO
China and the Global EV Challenge
This opinion piece the The Globe and Mail (Toronto, 30 January 2024) discusses the ongoing trade war between China and the West, as massively subsidized Chinese EVs, batteries and other automotive components enter the global marketplace. With trade restrictions against Chinese EVs in the US and a trade action just starting in the EU, this will be one of the dominant international trade stories in the years ahead.
NATO, Defense and Canadian Well-Being
This is an op-ed (14 February 2024) that explains how Canada’s poor record in meeting NATO defense expenditure obligations – and other commitments to its allies – weakens the country’s geopolitical influence and its ability to resolve economic, commercial and trade matters, ultimately impacting on the well-being of Canadians generally. It’s a call for changes in approach by the federal government.
WTO – Challenges in the Multilateral Trading Order
Historic Shifts in Global Trade
More Protectionism is Poor Trade Policy
Recent Developments in Canada’s Trade Law Regime
In this short commentary, I describe some notable developments in Canada’s trade remedy system, heralding what seems to be a more agressive approach by the Federal government in dealing with imported goods, with China being in the focus.
Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) – Some Comments
The proliferation of bilateral international investment agreements (IIAs) globally, with their binding Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provisions, means that investment arbitrations will be an ongoing feature of business relations in many parts of the world. Even if some countries are terminating their IIAs, investment arbitrations will continue, the challenge for governments being to respond to criticisms by improving appointment procedures, transparency and public understanding of the ISDS process generally. This May 2023 article suggests some ways forward,
Investor-State Disputes – The Record and the Reforms Needed for the Road Ahead