This trade circus reminds me of the chuckwagon races at the Calgary Stampede. The U.S. and China keep going round and round and ending up at the same place. President Trump threatens more tariffs and then like the outrider in the chucks, he closes in the last few yards from the finish and pulls them back […] Read more
The trade and politics stampede
Free Market Reflections with Steve Dittmer
Palace intrigue affects pigs and cows
Free Market Reflections with Steve Dittmer
It would seem a long way from the ancient halls of China’s government in Beijing to hog producers or ranchers and feeders in Canada. But such are the vagaries of global trade. I thought the U.S. trade situation was leaning towards the crazy. Now Canada has almost inadvertently become embroiled in something akin to a James […] Read more
Dittmer: Ratifying the new NAFTA deal
Free Market Reflections with Steve Dittmer
With all the hoopla over the U.S.-China negotiations, the ratification of the re-done NAFTA trade deal (USMCA-CUSMA) hasn’t been in the news much. But its passage is critical to all three nations involved. The issue has shifted from the diplomats and negotiators to the politicians. That’s sad and bad. In the U.S., the treaty is […] Read more
U.S. on the cusp of a China trade deal
Free Market Reflections with Steve Dittmer
Despite not meeting the end of March deadline originally set in the President Xi Jinping-President Trump meeting, the trade negotiations between China and the U.S. moved along at a relatively rapid clip in March and April. The revised goal was to have an agreement ready for the leaders to sign by late April-early May. Rather […] Read more
Improving your government’s nutrition advice
Free Market Reflections with Steve Dittmer
Seems I’m always apologizing for something from down here that migrates north and causes trouble. This time, though, I’d like to shed some light on how to fix things, in case you’d like suggestions to add to your own ideas. I’m referring to our influence on your Canada’s Food Guide. First, a little history you […] Read more
Trade remains complex, slow and hidden
Free Market Reflections with Steve Dittmer
Trade worldwide continues to be complex, slow and, for the most part, conducted behind closed doors. But trade negotiations in the old days were always glacial. It is only in the time of Trump that the pace has picked up drastically. Imagine three years ago getting the Chinese to the table at all, much less […] Read more
Enough is enough on tariffs
Free Market Reflections with Steve Dittmer
I’m not sure what’s happening in Canada but in the States, the steel and aluminum tariffs the U.S. put on Canada are not being mentioned at all. A search of the media stories does not show anything much up in Canada either. How can it be that something that important between two neighbours is escaping […] Read more
USMCA frictions continue
Free Market Reflections with Steve Dittmer
After months of negotiation, it looked like maybe it would get easier. Yes, getting the USMCA through national legislatures would be difficult and the steel and aluminum tariffs and the retaliatory tariffs were still in place. But negotiations on steel and aluminum tariffs were ongoing and intense, we were told. Yet up until the night […] Read more
Unfinished business
Free Market Reflections with Steve Dittmer
I had a discussion recently with a trade expert from the Canadian Consulate in Denver. The occasion was a celebration of the conclusion of the USMCA. Our discussion revolved around getting rid of the steel and aluminum tariffs the U.S. had put on Canadian and Mexican exports of those products. That is the key to […] Read more
Resurrection of GIPSA Rule a bad idea
Free Market Reflections with Steve Dittmer
I’m sure you all are tired of bad ideas from south of the border. So I’m sad to report that one of our fringe groups down here has partially resurrected one of the most self-destructive ideas to ever come out of government, in collusion with attorneys and livestock industry malcontents. Those of you with memory […] Read more
Canadian Cattlemen Presents: Depth of Field
