Montreal | Reuters — U.S. negotiators are holding firm in their demands for a wide-ranging overhaul of NAFTA, sources close to the talks said on Thursday, raising questions about whether any real movement is happening at the latest round of negotiations on the treaty. Officials from Canada, Mexico and the U.S. are in Montreal for […] Read more
NAFTA negotiations grind on
Canada unveils ideas to save NAFTA
Montreal | Reuters — Canadian negotiators at the NAFTA talks on Wednesday unveiled ideas to address contentious U.S. demands for revamping the 1994 pact while Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urged top U.S. executives to back free trade. The sixth and penultimate round of negotiations to update the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) opened in […] Read more
Key round of NAFTA talks opens amid upbeat signs
Montreal | Reuters — Officials opened a key round of negotiations to modernize NAFTA on Tuesday amidst optimistic signs, as U.S. President Donald Trump said the talks were going “pretty well” and Canada’s chief negotiator said he had high hopes for progress. Trump’s remarks helped the Mexican peso stem its losses, a reflection of how […] Read more
Canada in on TPP pact, to be signed in March
Tokyo | Reuters — Eleven countries aiming to forge a Asia-Pacific trade pact after the U.S. pulled out of an earlier version will sign an agreement in Chile in March, Japan’s economy minister said on Tuesday. Trade officials had been meeting in Tokyo to resolve rifts including Canada’s insistence on protections for its cultural industries […] Read more
Guelph to host new agri-food accelerator
The University of Guelph has created a new organization to help launch agri-food ideas and innovations. Accelerator Guelph aims to provide business training, help create networks and provide a process to innovators in agriculture and food at the university. Why does it matter? Getting research and great ideas from university researchers to the market has […] Read more
Trudeau to boost support for NAFTA in U.S. as talks intensify
Ottawa | Reuters –– Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will visit three major U.S. cities next month to bolster support for NAFTA as negotiators revising the trade pact tackle major differences, officials said on Friday. The timing of Trudeau’s Feb. 7-10 trip is significant, since it comes after a sixth and penultimate round of talks […] Read more
Montreal round of NAFTA talks extended to Jan. 29
Mexico City | Reuters — The upcoming round of talks in Montreal to update the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) will be extended by one day and will now conclude Jan. 29, Canadian and Mexican sources told Reuters on Thursday. Trade negotiators from the U.S., Canada and Mexico were originally scheduled to meet from […] Read more
Ottawa tightens rules on housing foreign farm workers
Housing meant for temporary foreign workers employed on a Canadian farm will now have to pass regular inspection before the farm can hire its workers. One of the requirements for farms hiring temporary foreign workers (TFWs) is that the farm provide workers with “adequate, suitable and affordable housing as defined by the Canadian Mortgage and […] Read more
Canada welcomes Trump suggestion of NAFTA deadline extension
London, Ont. | Reuters — Canada welcomes the suggestion by U.S. President Donald Trump that the deadline for concluding talks to modernize NAFTA could be extended beyond the end of March, Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland told reporters on Friday. Trump told the Wall Street Journal on Thursday that “a lot of things are hard to […] Read more
Canada talks tough on trade as NAFTA talks’ endgame nears
London, Ont. | Reuters — Canada is talking tough with the U.S., stressing its determination to push back against what it says are unfair trade practices ahead of crucial talks to revamp the tri-nation North American Free Trade Agreement. U.S., Canadian and Mexican officials meet this month for the sixth and penultimate round of talks […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
