Jackson Doughart on Supply Management
Canada's dairy, egg, and poultry industries are governed by supply management, which restricts production, controls prices, and restricts imports. This arrangement is bad for consumers, who pay high prices for staple foods without lower-cost alternatives. It also weakens the competition of producers. Changes to our U.S. trade relationship may push Ottawa to open the market to more American products. This will leave [...]
Radio: Buy Local?
Nova Scotians are often encouraged to purchase local food products instead of imports, to benefit the economy and the community. But not everyone endorses this view. Food policy expert Pierre Desrochers [pronounced DAY – Raw – Shay] argues that we should instead embrace a 10,000-mile diet, to increase productivity, lower costs and provide affordable food to more people. [...]
Radio: CETA Trade Deal
In 2016, Canada and the European Union signed the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, or CETA. CETA is a political achievement from successive federal governments, which overcame resistance to trade in some European regions. The value of this trade deal for Atlantic Canada is tremendous. For decades, our industries have operated with hampered access to European markets, especially [...]
New deal misses opportunity on alcohol trade
By JACKSON DOUGHART (AIMS Research Coordinator) The Guardian, 15 April 2017 Troy Media, 19 April 2017 The Daily Gleaner, 20 April 2017 Business Vancouver, 5 May 2017 The newly minted Canadian Free Trade Agreement is no great accomplishment. Instead of free exchange, most of the deal's convoluted text entrenches protectionism, with some 130 pages of exemptions. All of those negotiations – [...]
NL budget continues risky strategy
By ED HOLLETT (AIMS Senior Fellow) Troy Media, 11 April 2017 The Telegram, 17 April 2017 The budget strategy laid out by Newfoundland and Labrador in 2016 was simple: government would hold down program spending, allow for some increases in total spending from higher debt servicing costs, and let rising oil prices and other income balance the books by 2023. Budget [...]
CETA and Grilled Cheese
By SYLVAIN CHARLEBOIS (AIMS Senior Fellow) Troy Media, April 10, 2017 Waterloo Record, April 12, 2017 Exchange Magazine, 13 April 2017 The Battlefords News-Optimist, 15 April 2017 As the July 1 CETA implementation date looms, a critical decision on import quotas is expected soon following several months of highly politicized consultations. If import quotas fail to support our dairy processing sector [...]