Roundup: NAFTA theatrics

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Yesterday was big for NAFTA news, as the Americans and Mexicans resolved their bilateral differences, particularly around autos, and made progress on getting concessions on the American demands for a sunset clause. But, true to form, US President Donald Trump started spouting a bunch of nonsense about how Canada was on the sidelines, and if we didn’t accept a deal by Friday, he’d slap tariffs on our autos, and so on. The problem there – that he has no congressional authority to conclude a bilateral agreement without us (and indeed, outgoing Mexican president Enrique Peña Nieto kept saying that they were waiting for Canada to rejoin negotiations), so it’s a lot of bluster. Nevertheless, Chrystia Freeland cut short her diplomatic trip to Europe and is headed for Washington today, and trilateral talks will resume, and there’s likely to be a heavy focus on dairy as Trump has become fixated on it. This all having been said, have the Conservatives been pleased by the progress made? Funny you should ask.

First of all, the language in both is that it includes Trudeau’s name and the word “failure,” which is their narrative-building exercise (and Hamish Marshall can give them a cookie for sticking to it). But more importantly, as Kevin Carmichael notes, the Conservatives have been backing the government’s strategy to date on this. Of course, Andrew Scheer made a big deal during his big speech on Friday to insist that the Conservatives were going to be the adults in the room on foreign policy (which is risible considering the bulk of their record), but it also defies the reality of the situation. Even John Baird called bullshit on this line of reasoning – there was no reason for Canada to be part of those particular discussions, and this hasn’t really put us in a weakened position, and for all of the Conservatives’ sniggering about the labour chapter that Freeland has been advocating, wages were a big part of this deal that was struck with Mexico. (It’s also adorable that Erin O’Toole tries to make out that the Liberal strategy is all about domestic political posturing, which is exactly what he’s engaging in with his press release).

https://twitter.com/InklessPW/status/1034187012415340544

In the meantime, industry players in Canada are looking for more details, while Philippe Couillard is vowing not to accept any compromises that will affect Supply Management, so that could be fun while the Quebec election rolls along.

https://twitter.com/kevinmilligan/status/1034216416512172033

Good reads:

  • Despite well documented problems, the federal government is going ahead with their decision to approve certain roadside drug testing devices.
  • Trans Mountain expansion construction is officially underway, thanks to federal funds.
  • The Commissioner of Elections has started working with Facebook and Twitter to pre-emptively deal with foreign election interference.
  • American home builders’ associations are accusing lumber mills of price gouging as they take advantage of the softwood lumber duties imposed on Canadian imports.
  • Following a UN report encouraging the prosecution of Myanmar officials on the charge of genocide against the Rohingya, Bob Rae says there will be hurdles.
  • Her Excellency Julie Payette still hasn’t moved into Rideau Hall because of renovations, and yes, this actually matters in the grand scheme of things.
  • While Andrew Scheer tries to soften the blow of the party’s policy resolution on birthright citizenship, refugee groups are not having any of it.
  • The Conservative strategy in Quebec continues to be flirting with disaffected separatists in the hopes that they’ll park their votes with them.
  • Kady O’Malley’s Process Nerd column looks at what’s involved in the legalities of setting up a new political party on the federal stage.
  • Chantal Hébert notes that the bulk of the electoral agenda Andrew Scheer outlined over the weekend will have little to no resonance in Quebec.
  • With Maxime Bernier out to start his own party, Andrew Coyne busts the myths that the Chrétien Liberals only won because of a divided right.
  • Chris Selley is (rightfully) not buying the Liberals’ sanctimony on the immigration and refugee files.

Odds and ends:

Long-time NDP MP Irene Mathyssen has decided not to run again in 2019. Question Period won’t be the same without her conspicuously reading her outrage.

After a dispute with producers, Shaun Majumder has been ousted from This Hour Has 22 Minutes.

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