Bombardier and the midterms: Trump drops a sales-ban threat
At a Kansas rally, Trump said he would drop restrictions on Bombardier. The reversal came 15 days before the U.S. midterm elections.
Section
Trade
Section 338 in court: A U.S. cheese importer tests Canada tariffs
A New Jersey importer alleges the 50 per cent duties on Canadian goods break a 1930 law. U.S. and Canadian traders await U.S. court ruling.
Canada's softwood loss: Ottawa stays silent
A NAFTA panel upheld U.S. countervailing duties on Oct. 5, and Ottawa has responded with silence. Mills now pay more than 45 per cent in combined duties and tariffs.
Business backs Ottawa on trade, but mid-sized firms are paying for it
Business leaders back Ottawa's hard line on trade, KPMG finds, and are willing to pay the price for it. Mid-sized firms are hurting most, as we await the federal budget date.
Ford says plan for permanent tariffs, and Ottawa should listen
Doug Ford told the Empire Club that Canada must plan as if U.S. tariffs are here for good. Firms can do that now. Ottawa, after nearly $25 billion in support and no deal, has further to go.
Modi’s December visit: A CEPA target with no public timetable
Ottawa aims to close a trade deal with India by year’s end, and Modi visits in December. Provinces and exporters still have no clear line on the remaining rounds or the negotiation timetable.
Carney’s CUSMA walkout may have been good for his ratings, but it's bad for Canada
Mexico is bargaining with Washington over auto tariffs while Canada’s formal talks sit stalled. Refusing a bad deal in August was defensible, but staying away is handing the next one to someone else.
Ottawa should get back to the table before Mexico sets Canada’s terms
Mexico is still negotiating with Washington ahead of the 2027 CUSMA review. Canada has held no formal talks since Aug. 21, and every month away lets a U.S.-Mexico deal shape the terms Ottawa will face.
Canada's August trade surplus with the U.S. might signal a downturn in September
Canada’s goods surplus with the United States jumped by a record amount in August as exporters rushed shipments ahead of 50 per cent tariffs. That is borrowed demand, and the Bank should look through it on Oct. 28.
CANZUK should be Canada’s foreign policy priority
The recent CUSMA negotiations have shown that Washington will tariff an ally to extract concessions. Canada needs trading options, and a CANZUK treaty built on mobility, trade, and security can work as Canada’s hedge.