We keep hoping this present worldwide binge of protectionism, geo-political bullying and bad-will will fade, subside and JUST GO AWAY! But if it doesn’t, what does Canada do? How do Canadian farmers adapt to that fact? It’s like with climate change: We hope it can be stopped, but if it can’t be, what do we […] Read more
Tag Archives Blog
Could Canada run a two-track trade policy?
One track for the rules-following folks and one for the cheats?
Maybe, just maybe, Trump’s right on trade. Maybe Canada should learn
Donald J Trump is appalling in many ways. Maybe in most ways. He’s a bully and a liar. He encourages racism and xenophobia if it helps him politically. He’s undermining his nation’s constitution on a regular basis. His disgraceful conduct is coarsening American mores. But maybe he’s getting one thing right, or mostly right. Maybe, […] Read more
When farmers pay the price for trade disputes, Canada bears the cost
I was struck by something Tyler Fulton, the director of risk management for Hams Marketing, said to me the other day. “We’re just in a new time, I guess.” He said that after apologizing for always in recent interviews noting that its hard to assess the market outlook these days because there are so many […] Read more
BLOG: China dispute much bigger than canola sales
In 2015, the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis released a report about intellectual property in China. Normally, reports on intellectually property rights are about as appealing as flavourless oatmeal, but the document contained at least one remarkable tidbit. “We estimate that as of 2010, more than half of all technology owned by Chinese firms was […] Read more
Canada will play “Good cop, bad cop” with China
Either way, Canada shows few signs of buckling. It's not in Canada's nature
Canada’s playing Good cop/Bad cop with China. It’s not an intentional strategy. It’s just the way that the psychology of this country is breaking down. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Liberal Party are the ‘Good cop’ gang, hoping to use reasonableness, seeming friendliness, understanding and offers of help to get China to back off […] Read more
Central banks chained to the Promethean rock
Gun-shy governments have put too much responsibility onto central banks, and they're reaching the end of their strength
If Canada faces a combination of increasing prices and faltering economic growth, the Bank of Canada can’t do much to fix that killer combo. “In that moment you have a tradeoff between a slowing economy (and) rising unemployment, and rising inflation at the same time. Obviously monetary policy can’t buffer both of those,” said Stephen […] Read more
China shows that you can’t count on China – ever
China blocks Canadian pork and beef and proves itself a bad bet for any future relationships
China has now added Canadian pork and beef to its blockade of Canadian agricultural exports, as it continues to bash away at Canada. Canadian farmers will be the biggest losers. It hits them directly. Not only does the physical movement of meat get disrupted, but export prices will be discounted as Canadian product looks to […] Read more
Send Chretien to crack China’s coldness?
It was a nostalgic feeling last week to hear the names “Mulroney” and “Chretien” being batted around in the national news again, connected with each other. The former Prime Ministers weren’t fighting, but rather Brian Mulroney was said to be lobbying present PM Justin Trudeau to dispatch Jean Chretien to China to try to fix […] Read more
China: Dangerous Assumptions
In the long run, what kind of future will farmers face?
“In the long run we are all dead.” This line by British economist John Maynard Keynes highlights the silliness of looking too far out in the future and concluding that everything’s OK if it works out they way we think it eventually will. People live in the here and now, and accepting terrible conditions today […] Read more
Getting it wrong on China, Canada and trade
If prime ministers were wrong, when were they wrong?
Perhaps Canadian prime ministers, both Liberal and Conservative, have been wrong about China, Canada and trade. But when were they wrong? I’ve criticized both former Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper and present Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for saying critical or provocative things to or about China, and thereby undermining efforts to build a bigger […] Read more
