Free Republic

OTTAWA — From the get-go, the Liberal government’s goal in rewriting NAFTA was to get a “progressive” trade deal for Canada that was “free and fair.” So did it? While there are lots of ways to tally the winners — and losers — in the new United States Mexico Canada Agreement, or USMCA, one is to look at the six objectives that Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland herself articulated on the eve of the renegotiation. [photo caption] As part of the trade deal with the U.S. and Mexico, Canada will ease protections on dairy. [photo credit: CHRISTINNE MUSCHI THE NEW...

Bringing it in just under the wire, negotiators representing Mexico, Canada, and the United States announced a new trade deal, to be named the USMCA, on Sunday, September 30, enabling the replacement for NAFTA for which many have long clamored. With the agreement to switch to this new program, the three nations are taking some steps – however small – back in the direction of the goals that Free Trade Agreements have always promised to support, but which have been largely forgotten in the quest for their side effects. Free Trade Agreements, in fact, are not designed to reduce taxes...

With so much uncertainty in the world, it's upsetting to see American politicians, backed by cheesy special interests, trying to start a war with Europe. A cheese war. And in the jingoistic climate of today's aggressive and expansionist cheese policy, I'm a cheese lover without a country. And some will call me a traitor. When it comes to cheese, there are standards in this world -- of fairness, and of excellence. Such standards shall not be undermined, not for clan or for country. So, America, you may exile me in the name of Camembert. You may revile me for manchego....