Laurence C. Smith sees northern countries as having assets that will benefit them in a changing world.  Photo: John Greig

Global changes create opportunity for northern nations

A changing world, whether it be climate or politics means challenges for Canada, but also opportunity. Canada and other northern nations with the ability to attract talented immigrants, increased economic activity due to changing climate and stable political systems stand to benefit, speakers said at the Grain Farmers of Ontario March Classic. Why it matters: […] Read more

China’s President Xi Jinping, Chile’s President Michelle Bachelet, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and Australia’s Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull attend the APEC-ASEAN dialogue, on the sidelines of the APEC summit, in Danang, Vietnam November 10, 2017.
 Photo: Reuters/Jorge Silva

TPP trade pact in disarray as Canada holds up talks

Vietnam | Reuters – Efforts to revive the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal foundered on Friday when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau failed to show up for a meeting to agree a path forward without the United States. The lack of a deal on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit […] Read more

Francois-Philippe Champagne, shown here last month in a holiday video message to constituents, has been named federal minister for international trade. (FPChampagne.liberal.ca)

Trade lawyer named federal trade minister

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s latest mini-cabinet shuffle puts a Quebec lawyer specializing in international trade into the trade minister’s chair. Trudeau on Tuesday appointed Francois-Philippe Champagne, the rookie MP for the Shawinigan-area riding of Saint-Maurice-Champlain, as minister of international trade, replacing Chrystia Freeland. Freeland, as widely expected leading up to Tuesday’s announcement, becomes minister of […] Read more

Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland, shown here at the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada conference in March. Global Affairs Canada via YouTube)

Trudeau to shuffle Dion out of foreign affairs

Ottawa | Reuters –– Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will shuffle his cabinet this week and is set to move Foreign Minister Stephane Dion, who ran into political trouble last year, a person with knowledge of the matter said on Monday. “Dion is out,” said the person, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of […] Read more

President-elect Donald J. Trump won the electoral vote in the U.S. presidential election held on Nov. 8, 2016.  Photo: Wikimedia Commons

World continues to digest Trump win

As the world continues to digest Donald Trump’s surprise win in the U.S. presidential election, in many ways it seems to be business as usual. After see-sawing at the open, North American equity markets logged surprisingly strong gains after most market participants were said to have priced in a Hillary Clinton victory. The U.S. dollar […] Read more


Photo: File

Canada’s new ag minister pledges to listen to farmers

Manitoba Co-operator – After just six days as Canada’s new agriculture minister Lawrence MacAulay hasn’t taken a position on a number of agricultural issues, but he knows how he will: “I intend to listen to the man that does the work — the farmer.” The 69-year-old former Prince Edward Island dairy and seed potato farmer […] Read more