During the 1988 Free Trade debate, the Liberals and NDP fought a provision that required Canada to maintain its oil export volumes to the U.S. at historical levels. So it is a remarkable irony that these two parties are now fighting against pipelines that would allow...
Trade
Derail interswitching policies
Forcing rail carriers to ship a competitor’s cars harms profitability and distorts the investment market The winter before last, Canadians endured their coldest-ever winter. On the rail lines, deliveries were slowed significantly, creating a backlog of grain and...
Alberta will pay price for Central Canada’s cap-and-trade deal
The governments of Ontario and Quebec recently announced their intention to enter into a cap-and-trade arrangement. The goal here is to put a price on carbon. The economic argument is pretty simple. Markets are an efficient manner in which to allocate resources, and...
Cap-and-Trade: A Wynne-Lose Situation
The governments of Ontario and Quebec recently announced their intention to enter into a cap and trade arrangement. The goal here is to put a price on carbon dioxide. The economic argument is pretty simple. Markets are an efficient manner in which to...
Featured News
Weaponizing the Law
The indictment of former U.S. president Donald Trump for crimes invented by his political opponents is the most egregious example yet seen of the weaponizing of the law. The United States is now full of examples. However, in Canada, we also see the law being...
“Looking At” Seizing Control Over Western Canada’s Natural Resources
OTTAWA, REGINA - Last week, two things happened that could have profound impacts on natural resources development in Saskatchewan. One is a hint the federal government might want to take control of natural resources away from the provinces, and the other is the...
Canada, U.S. Struggling to Reach Agreement to Agree on Product Rules
An ambitious plan to harmonize product regulations between Canada and the United States has become all process, few results. But there is hope.
Obsession with organic, local food harming developing countries
An American political scientist chastised Western food fads at an international food security conference at McGill University recently. Robert Paarlberg, A professor of political science at Wellesley College in Massachusetts, argued in his 2008 book Starved for...
Trade deal with China may help aboriginal fishers here
Canada is considering entering into a free trade agreement with China. Of course, there are issues surrounding that, including corruption, foreign takeovers and the rule of law generally. There is always the problem of China's human rights record, which is a separate...
Charting the Course to True Free Trade
Not many New Zealanders might have realised, until reading the Weekend Herald, how important a role their country is playing in talks to liberalise international trade
Do Not Count Ontario Out
This editorial from Saskatoon got me thinking about my experience in Ontario. Far from being the basket economic case that is conveyed in the national media, my experience living and working in SW Ontario was one characterized by very innovative firms that figure out...
Canada Risks Being Left Empty-Handed in Asia
Far from the truculent finger-pointing that once characterized his government’s attitude to China – an attitude it still displays elsewhere – Mr. Harper buried whatever criticisms he made of China’s terrible human-rights record in closed-door meetings. In public, it was all sweetness and light, trade deals and photo ops with pandas.
Why not Supply Management for Automobiles?: In fact Canada’s whole economy could be run by bureaucrats, writes Michael Hart. Wait, that sounds a lot like the Soviet Union
Recently, Canada’s Dairy Lobby has been singing the praises of “supply management” – a sys-tem that limits production and inflates prices in an at-tempt to bring stability to the milk market.
Free Trade with Europe
the big question is whether this will be “free trade” or “managed trade.”
And they shall drive from sea, to sea to sea
Canada’s national interests would also be well served with an East-West super highway.