Jon Johnson – Ustr Suspends Section 301 Tariffs Against French Goods
From: Jon Johnson To: Global Affairs Canada and the CRA Date: January 12, 2021 Re: USTR Suspends Section 301 Tariffs Against French Goods Further to my December 1 Memo, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has now suspended the Section 301 tariffs scheduled to be applied on January 6 to French goods as retaliation for […] 2021 trade priorities: Make CUSMA work and fix the WTO – Financial Post Op-Ed
Even with a new team in the White House in 2021 and a return to a healthy and respectful bilateral relationship, trade differences with our American friends will not disappear. And in addition to some tough Canada-U.S. files, there are other trade issues confronting the Canadian government, notably in respect of China, but including at the World Trade Organization, as well. All of this will require careful handling as we enter the new year.
Maintaining and improving trade relations with the U.S. will always be our top priority. Even with the Democrats in office and CUSMA a done deal, there will be trade irritants. And the Americans will always be tough and demanding. CUSMA created a Free Trade Commission that charges the…
When it comes to trade, Canadians should temper their enthusiasm for Joe Biden – Globe and Mail Op-Ed
Whew. Canadians are showing unalloyed relief with the results of the U.S. election, ending four year’s worth of chaos, unpredictability and antagonism under President Donald Trump’s “America First” agenda. The tone of the bilateral relationship will change 180 degrees under a Joe Biden presidency.
Yet when it comes to trade, there are some hard facts that give reason to temper some of this enthusiasm. Here is a short list of items – some good, some not so good – to consider in the days ahead.
SUPPORT FOR MULTILATERALISMThe Biden administration will reverse Mr. Trump’s disdain and disregard for the World Trade Organization and the multilateral system generally.
We can look to the United States removing its veto over…
Christopher Sands – What Does A Biden Presidency Mean For Canada?
From: Christopher Sands To: Concerned Canadians Date: November 9, 2020 Re: What does a Biden presidency mean for Canada? Christopher Sands answered that question for Michael Hainsworth in the C.D. Howe Institute’s podcast. Here’s an edited version of his comments. I think we can expect a kind of return to normal. Biden’s an old hand, he’s been around Washington […] Lawrence Herman – The Wto Was Ailing Long Before Trump
From: Lawrence Herman To: Canadians concerned about trade Date: October 29, 2020 Re: The WTO was ailing long before Trump The established order of things in international trade, the world we have been comfortable with for decades, has been shattered. This is often laid at Donald Trump’s door, given his disdain for the World Trade Organization (WTO) and relish […] Restoring order to global trade – Financial Post Op-Ed
The established order of things in international trade, the world we have been comfortable with for decades, has been shattered. This is often laid at Donald Trump’s door, given his disdain for the World Trade Organization (WTO) and relish for unilateral actions like tariff surcharges. In reality, the global trading system was in trouble before Trump’s arrival on the scene. He and Robert Lighthizer, his spear-carrier as U.S. Trade Representative, have just been the instruments of disruption, bringing all of the inadequacies and shortcomings of the WTO system to the forefront.
Before Trump was elected, I believed that, whatever its shortcomings, the key legal principles and multilaterally respected norms governing the global…
S2 E18: Donald Trump Has Won, Now What?
With the U.S. Presidential election right around the corner, what would Donald Trump’s re-election mean for Canada? Michael Hainsworth put that to the Wilson Centre’s Christopher Sands and former PMO communications director Scott Reid, and learned how we might navigate four more years of a Trump presidency. S2 E17: Joe Biden Has Won, Now What?
With the U.S. Presidential election right around the corner, what would a Joe Biden win mean for Canada? Michael Hainsworth sits down with the Wilson Centre’s Christopher Sands and former PMO communications director Scott Reid, to find out if a Biden victory will smooth over some of the cracks in the US-Canada relationship. Jon Johnson – Cusma: End Of Investor-state Dispute Settlement For Canada
From: Jon Johnson To: Canadians Concerned about Investor-State Dispute Settlement Procedures Date: October 16, 2020 Re: CUSMA – End of Investor-State Dispute Settlement for Canada The Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) terminates investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) procedures between Canada, the US and Mexico (although the Trans-Pacific agreement provisions apply between Canada and Mexico). Canada only reluctantly […] Jon Johnson – Aluminum Tariffs: Did The Us Really Blink?
From: Jon Johnson To: Canadians Concerned About Section 232 Tariffs Date: September 22, 2020 Re: Aluminum Tariffs – Did the US Really Blink? Last week, hours before Canadian retaliatory tariffs were to go into effect, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) issued a statement advising that the US was resuming duty free […] Guy Saint-jacques – Is Trade With China Still Worth It?
From: Guy Saint-Jacques To: Canadians Concerned About China Date: September 8, 2020 Re: Is Trade with China Still Worth it? The ongoing crisis with China is likely to continue for some time as the extradition process for Huawei CFO’s Meng Wanzhou could drag on for years. Apart from having two Canadians detained as hostages and four on death […] Lawrence Herman – Huawei And The Canada-china Agreement
From: Lawrence Herman To: Canadians Concerned About Trade Date: September 1, 2020 Re: Huawei and the Canada-China Agreement Is Ottawa prevented from excluding Huawei from Canada’s 5G system because of the 2014 Canada-China investment protection treaty? Would excluding Huawei on national security grounds give the company grounds for claiming compensation under that agreement? China’s ambassador to Canada has said […]