Sep 10, 2018
While President Trump continues to apply hardball tactics to the renegotiation of NAFTA, trade experts are recommending that Canadian businesses start considering the possibility that the U.S.-Canada talks might fail, resulting in the American withdrawal from the agreement at the end of September. Journalists Jacob M. Schlesinger and Paul Vieira examine the state of the NAFTA talks and the impact President Trump’s threats to withdraw are having in an article in The Wall Street Journal. In addition to the U.S. president’s high pressure negotiating style, they discuss the domestic challenges that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is facing, including the Federal Court of Appeal’s recent quashing of the construction of the Trans Canada pipeline. One of the experts that the authors turn to for comment on the progress of the NAFTA talks and the possibility of a deal not being reached is Peter Glossop, an Osler partner who specializes in the area of foreign investment law.
“Although this scenario still might seem remote in light of the political challenges to securing congressional cooperation for Mr. Trump’s plan, it would be prudent for businesses on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border which rely heavily upon the benefits of NAFTA to plan for NAFTA’s demise,” Peter says.
If you subscribe to The Wall Street Journal, you can read the full article by Jacob M. Schlesinger and Paul Vieira, “Trump to test high pressure negotiating style as U.S.-Canada NAFTA talks resume,” from September 3, 2018.