Does anyone know . . .

Why Unifor President Jerry Dias is at the NAFTA talks. Why does he seem to be acting as part of the negotiating team, responding to questions from the press as though he's a spokesperson for our government.

I'm guessing his accommodations and whatnot are being expensed to the government.

No one has explained why he's there, but it seems wrong to me. He is the head of a union representing auto, communications, energy and paper workers sectors -- not an elected official and he has no status with the government that I'm aware of... and if they gave him one while he also represents the union... that doesn't make sense to me. Given that this union lobbies the government on behalf of its various sectors, isn't there some sort of conflict? Okay, sure -- he has the welfare of workers as part of his mandate as president of his union -- but how does that translate into becoming part of our trade delegation? Is it because the Trudeau Liberals lack any skilled, experienced negotiators?

Who is running things in Ottawa, and why does this just *happen* without any sort of explanation -- or, from what I've seen across the internet, without any questions from the (Unifor represented?) media contingent?

Maybe I'm just suspicious, but it seems to me that rather than having someone who was elected by union workers, who have their own interests at heart --- the people who we, as a country elected -- our MPs, Ministers etc should be handling these negotiations.. and failing finding anyone capable on their own bench, the Liberals had the offer of Conservative help as early as last Fall. It wouldn't have been too late to accept the offer of help -- would have been smart politically too -- any deal would have multi-party hands all over it, so if it was bad -- it would be a all-party failure.

If anyone knows the explanation for his presence in Washington, please comment.

Thanks,

canadianna

Win - Win

He's a lucky guy, our Prime Minister -- how else do you explain two utter failures that can be spun like gold.

NAFTA negotiations have been a disaster. We've been shut out since the G7 when Trudeau decided to swagger the second Trump got on the plane. Trump snagged back the concessions he'd offered and followed up with tariffs and promises of more -- all because Justin Trudeau stood up to the bully when he wasn't being bullied. A subsequent speech by Chrystia Freeland, slamming Trump, her late arrival the most recent negotiations, Trudeau being too busy to take a call from Trump prior to this round of negotiations starting .... all of these things display contempt for Trump, for the United States, for the negotiations, and for Canadians. It's almost like Justin Trudeau has been seeking failure on this file -- but regardless of the outcome, he'll take no blame because - Trump.

After today's revelation by the Toronto Star about an off-the-record statement Trump made about Canada and negotiations, you can be assured that if he has to give up the dairy farm or if he fails our auto sector, it won't matter. He couldn't have done better -- still -- because Trump.

And with Trans Mountain, he can play both sides. In 2014, he promised that if elected, the pipeline would never be built. He bought it, so he can say that at least he tried. The court scuttled it, so it failed, but it isn't really his fault. Any challenges will last long beyond this term in office, so he'll have kept his promise to the anti-TM side, but still be trying for the pro-TM team. Wow. Horseshoes. 

So Canadian oil is sold at a discount to the Americans who sell it on for market value, but somehow this is a win for someone. Where do the First Nations and environmentalists think their money is coming from if Alberta is unable to develop its oil sector and play on a level playing field with every other oil producing nation on earth. How is Alberta going to feed you all with both hands tied behind its back?

On NAFTA. Trudeau says no deal is better than a bad deal and while that's true, it didn't have to be this way. His disdain for Trump trumped the needs of Canadian people -- Trudeau's ego is the reason we're here. That, and the fact that he has no clue what it means to work for a living, to worry about job security and paying bills. He hasn't a clue who we are. He can't identify with us for a second, how can he possibly represent us?

What a joke. But the joke's on us. Possibly for four more years.

canadianna 

The right response on NAFTA

Shortly after the news broke today that the US and Mexico had reached a trade deal, Bernier tweeted:

Now, @cafreeland and @JustinTrudeau, stop fooling around and playing politics. Put supply management on the table, end the retaliatory measures, accept Trump’s offer to aim at reducing all tariffs and barriers, and NEGOTIATE SERIOUSLY. More grandstanding will bring no result.

Compare that to Andrew Scheer's response:

 Thanks to Justin Trudeau, Canada is on the outside looking in while Canadian jobs hang in the balance. His economic failures have ruined Canada’s bargaining position and jeopardized thousands of jobs.

Both responses are valid, but everyone knows that if Trudeau touches supply management, then Bernier's major raison d'etre disappears... and yet Bernier is so committed to his idea of what is right for the country, he's willing to see it done by someone else -- in the OTHER party -- because he believes so much that it's the right thing to do. That's a major policy plank for Bernier. One less reason to vote for his new party if Trudeau is the man that sees it through. I don't see this as an idle challenge or taunt. It seems like a genuine plea for sanity on the trade front.

On the other hand, Scheer's criticism of Trudeau is valid, but given that they couldn't even get to supply management at the convention, what exactly would he be doing differently? If he's still committed to it, then what is he suggesting Trudeau do? It's all well and good to snipe on Twitter, but if you have nothing to offer but sniping, how is that constructive? Trudeau has been abysmal on trade. Scheer's sneers don't make that clearer, but they betray a lack of vision. It's okay to put your idea out there even when it's not election time. If they're good ideas and the other guy uses them, all the better for the country, right?

I'm still not #BernierNation, but Bernier's commitment to what benefits Canada, as opposed to what benefits him, suggests a purity of reason that goes beyond the selfish lust for power that he's been accused of. I'm still not happy with how he went about this. I'm still dubious about the outcome, but there is a sincerity to his words that makes me want to cheer him on, even if I'm not yet ready to come around.

canadianna