Sanctions Against Iran – A Short Update
The July 2015 agreement between Iran and the so-called P5+1 group (the 5 permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany) is a complex deal that provides that once Iran ends its nuclear-weapons program, western sanctions against that country- though not all – will be lifted. Clients have asked about the effect of this… Read More »
COOL Frustrations
The trade dispute between Canada and the US over American country of origin labelling requirements (referred to everywhere as “COOL”) is entering its eighth year. It presents a history of delay, frustration and prevarication that, sad to say, tarnishes the utility of the WTO dispute settlement system. Canada took the matter to the WTO back… Read More »
TPP and Supply Management – Western Interests
Supply managed industries – such as the dairy producers – are largely centred in Eastern Canada and concern a very specific market segment. There are other parts of Canada’s agricultural industry, such as the beef, pork, grains and oilseeds, that are negatively impacted by Canada’s steadfast refusal to reduce supply-managed protectionism in international negotiations, notably… Read More »
Investment Disputes – Hot-Button Topic
I confess I’m not a fan of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. I find much of their stuff to be ideologically-driven and one-sided. I’m put off by their anti-free trade rhetoric and their congenital hostility toward the WTO and liberalized trade generally. As a believer in the progressive development of international law, I don’t… Read More »
Supply Management – Begining of the End or End of the Beginning?
This blog was re-printed with some additions in the Toronto Globe & Mail’s Report on Business, 5 August, 2015. To read that op-ed commentary, click here. The TPP talks in Hawaii last week – with much hoped-for anticipation – unfortunately didn’t reach agreement. The 12 countries were getting pretty close but some tricky issues remained… Read More »
Trans Pacific Trade – Hold Your Horses
Many of us are hopeful that the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations will wrap up sometime soon and that the deal will require Canada to open up its highly-protected dairy, poultry and eggs sectors – dairy being the most egregiously protected, outmoded Soviet-style regime. Trade negotiations aren’t a zero-sum game, and if Canada has to compromise… Read More »
More Stuff on Trans-Pacific Trade
Trans-Pacific Trade – Canada Under Pressure
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 »
More Criticism About Supply Management
There is no end to the thoughtful critics of Canada’s Soviet style supply management system for the dairy, poultry and eggs producing sectors. Not only have leading Canadian think-tanks like the C.D. Howe Institute, the Conference Board and the School of Public Policy at U. Calgary produced reports highly critical of this antiquated system, here… Read More »