With the passage by the US Senate of Obama’s long-sought-after trade negotiating authority this week, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) effort will start to move to its final wrap-up. Other countries were holding back until the necessary bill (called Trade Promotion Authority or “fast-track”) was enacted. This will put tremendous pressure on Canada to open up… Read More »
It’s called “fast-track” but it’s no such thing. What’s unfolding in the US Congress is bizarre. The rationale behind fast track – or Trade Promotion Authority – is to give the President a Congressional mandate to negotiate and sign trade agreements with the assurance that, once signed, the Americans wont then come back to the negotiating… Read More »
In an op-ed piece in the Financial Post (Toronto) on March 19, 2015, I discuss the machinations in the US Congress and the implications of the various political aspects surrounding the lack – so far – of the US administration’s authority to negotiate free trade agreements. This has a major bearing on the current Trans-Pacific… Read More »