Something I wrote on reciprocity in trade negotiations, particularly between partners of very different size and influence. Though this excerpt is from a chapter on temporary entry provisions, the reciprocity point is broader. Full chapter here: amazon.ca/Canadas-Flui...

I enjoyed the conversation last week with economist colleagues @trevortombe.bsky.social, Stephen Tapp, and Dan Ciuriak on Canadian policy toward Trump, tariffs and trade moving forward. Thanks CABE for organizing.

Watch it here: cabe.ca/webinar/cabe...

My comments in today's Toronto Star on Canada's trade diversification challenges. And for the trade nerds, gravity even got a shoutout in a major Cdn daily. www.thestar.com/politics/fed...

US withdrawal from OECD Global Tax Deal, and scrutiny of foreign taxes targeting or applying extraterritorial tax commitments on Americans. For Canada: This puts Canada’s Digital Services Tax in the crosshairs, plus the Online Streaming Act 3/. www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...

USMCA implementation and review, plus unfair trade practices and trade imbalances. Lots in there, good and bad. For Canada: dairy TRQs; digital taxes; shared auto supply chain; Chinese investment in CUSMA countries; Buy American; softwood lumber 2/.
www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...

Trudeau govt approach was all carrots, no sticks (2016 onward). This imperiled the program and Canada’s longstanding consensus on immigration in the process. (3/4)

Ironically, it is Canada’s position that has changed since my 2021 chapter, after Trudeau govt failed to correctly balance the carrots and sticks of Harper-era reforms (2013-15)…(2/4).

Many seem surprised that Trump supports the H-1B program. But his openness to the program has been consistent over time. I wrote about it in this 2021 chapter comparing the US H-1B and Canadian TFW program reforms (1/4):

But rich countries do not use FTAs to seek to bind themselves to greater improvements or higher obligations than exist domestically. 3/3

Similarly, our research on 25 years of Canada’s labour provisions in FTAs clearly demonstrates that rich countries use labour chapters to compel and bind poor countries to raise their standards to equivalent levels.2/3

Maybe privately, but not in the court of public opinion. My analysis of NAFTA’s renegotiation suggests Canada’s “win-win-win” narrative was a flop. It was only when Canada reoriented to ‘Standing up for Canada’ that the narrative gained traction and popularity with voters.