https://business.financialpost.com/news/economy/rethinking-our-global-ambitions-starting-with-the-call-to-action-that-is-the-tpp
Where's the peanut? Where's the peanut? The Liberals continue to deflect. As NAFTA appears to be on a path to "no deal" the Liberals are now showing off the latest shiny trinket - the TPP (which is now the "Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership" or reads like the alphabet,
CPATPP). Well, if NAFTA will be dead,
THEN THE TPP BETTER BE IN PLACE! What are Canadian businesses to do who sell internationally when the Liberals will have destroyed Canada's best, closest, most accessible market?
As Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland is not only out there poking Trump and the USA in the eye during the most sensitive times of a NAFTA negotiation whether it be i) very pointed, inflammatory and cheeky "thank you" speeches for an award by her peers on USA soil, or ii) attending a Trump bashing, feminists event hosted by Indigo Chapters' Heather Reisman in Freeland's own riding surrounding a film called "Tame the Tyrant" or iii) bragging that her European Trade Minister counterpart call themselves "Sisters in Trade" and brags about how they communicate in texted emojis and "hugs" (again during a time where 140% of her time should be spent on finalizing Canada's part in NAFTA!),
MP Freeland and her Liberal government have continued to change the "lines in the sand".
Now the latest stall tactics and sticking points are to do with i) culture (broadcasting American commercials during a Superbowl?) and ii) Chapter 19 where trade disputes would be settled by a (gasp!)...Judge!!! Trudeau implied that a USA President that "does not play by the rules" could interfere with such decisions.....WHAT!?!?! In a country where an individual can only be President for two terms maximum, Justin Sunshine is suggesting that trade disputes and decisions could be impacted by Trump calling a judge on the phone....even after Trump is long gone as President!?!?!?!
It is clear, this Liberal government is not shy about stalling for years on sensitive issues as a go-to strategy. Look at reconciliation, look at pipelines (eventually came to a "must act moment" and they forked over C$4.5B but would have been more than content to drag this out to election time in 2019), look at the border crisis. The list goes on.
Unfortunately legalized marijuana is the only significant point of completion by the Liberal government, and was jammed down the provincial throats - no stalling.
Reviewing how the Liberals are conducting themselves, it is clear they are playing roulette with Canada's place in NAFTA and are going to great lengths to appear "anti-Trump" in order to attract those votes in the 2019 election.
THE LIBERALS DO NOT WANT A NAFTA DEAL COMPLETED! This is no trivial matter - this has impacts on i) the auto industry and severe job losses - UNION JOB LOSSES, ii) a guaranteed weakening C$, iii) declining Canadian stock markets, iv) inflation from USA tariffs? then interest rate follow on affects, v) combined with tens of thousands of illegal border crossers to pay for, perhaps to compete with for jobs, vi) oh, and remember that ballooning debt that is in line with Canada's GDP? Well, it is simply too much debt (but then again a Trudeau is a Trudeau is a Trudeau).
The only saving grace is that all this turmoil may be timed perfectly for an October 2019 election and Canadians (whether left, center or right leaning or even the apathetic ones) will vote this reckless political party out.
