Reuters – The new Democrat majority in the U.S. House of Representatives is likely to back President Donald Trump’s trade war with China and could even egg him on, but will offer tougher scrutiny of his negotiations with allies, trade experts and lawmakers say. Trump has imposed tariffs on $250 billion of Chinese goods to […] Read more
Tag Archives politics — page 27
Democrat-led House seen backing Trump’s China trade war
The Democrats are also expected to seek greater input into trade talks with allies
White farmer’s role highlights South Africa’s land reform challenge
Many black farmers can’t deal with the national agriculture bank directly because they have no land tenure
Reuters – Earlier this year, Nick Serfontein wrote an open letter to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa asking him to take the views of white farmers on board as the government considers expropriating land without compensation to reduce rural poverty. Now Serfontein sits on a 10-person board advising the president where to go next, based […] Read more
Stalled farm bill could move fast after Democrat House win
Washington | Reuters – Congress may swiftly resolve a drawn-out impasse on the U.S. Farm Bill now that Democrats are poised to retake control of the legislative body, the top Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee said on Wednesday. Collin Peterson, ranking member and presumptive new chair of committee, said passing the crucial agricultural legislation was going […] Read more
Opinion: Canada’s new foreign charm offensive
Capital Letters with Kelsey Johnson of iPolitics
In the months after U.S. President Donald Trump was elected to the Oval Office, the Trudeau government launched a major charm offensive. Minister after minister headed south for meetings with American officials including congressmen, senators, governors and senior staff within the Trump administration. Parliamentary committees travelled south to meet with their American counterparts and Canadians […] Read more
Trump’s trade war looms over divided U.S. farm belt ahead of vote
Reuters – Chuck Wirtz voted for Donald Trump in the 2016 election, inspired by the then-political outsider, but the veteran Iowa hog farmer now has buyer’s remorse as the U.S. Republican president’s trade policy exacts a heavy toll on his business. Wirtz, 56, estimates the tariffs resulting from the U.S. trade war with China and […] Read more
Trump administration plans new trade talks with EU, UK, Japan
Congressional approval must be granted under fast-track rules
Washington | Reuters – The United States Trade Representative’s office told Congress in mid-October it intends to open trade talks with the European Union, the United Kingdom and Japan. Under fast-track rules, the United States cannot start talks with the EU, Japan and the United Kingdom until 90 days after notifying Congress. Why it matters: […] Read more
Trudeau vows to impose carbon tax, opponents push back
Ottawa | Reuters – Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday said he would fulfill a promise to impose a carbon tax on provinces unwilling to combat climate change, prompting instant protests from a voter-rich part of the country. Trudeau, whose ruling Liberals face an election in October 2019, told a news conference that all the money […] Read more
Canada not a solution for U.S. dairy price woes
Americans more concerned with securing access to Mexican market than Canada
Madison, Wisconsin – The price of milk in the United States is stuck at an unprofitable place, and U.S. farmers at the World Dairy Expo did not expect any trade deal with Canada to change that situation. Most of them had yet to look over the fine details of the new trade deal — the […] Read more
Opinion: Why political committees matter
Capital Letters: Canadian farmers share their stories about struggles with mental health
Most people think that the most important part of Parliament Hill is the House of Commons. After all, Question Period is broadcast daily. Clips of ministers and members of Parliament in the House of Commons foyer are regularly aired on television. For journalists on Parliament Hill, the daily scrums are a regular part the day. […] Read more
Editorial: A trade deal that needed to be done
Canada’s supply management system will go on, despite some cursory efforts by Americans to get rid of it during the recent North American trade talks. This should be the last trade agreement that Canadian supply managed sectors need to worry about. After Europe, Asia and Oceania and the United States, there aren’t many other dairy […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
