Tausi Insider

Ireland’s Supreme Court ruled on Friday that parliament cannot ratify the European Union’s free trade deal with Canada unless laws are changed, posing a challenge to the coalition government if it wants to avoid the matter going to a referendum. The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) sets out the removal of tariffs on 99 per cent of all goods types traded between the EU and Canada, some over a period of up to seven years. It has been provisionally in force since September 2017, and has so far been ratified by 16 of the 27 EU member countries, with Germany’s coalition agreeing in June to add its signature. The Irish government had intended to do so as well through a vote in parliament once it cleared the legal hurdles. Deputy Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said last year that a delay would send out the wrong message on Ireland’s commitment to trade. However a member of the ruling coalition challenged it in the courts, arguing that the deal should be put to a referendum bec...

New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh walks through the Foyer of the House of Commons on Oct. 26. Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press Canada is finally getting its act together on an Indo-Pacific strategy. It would be a shame if NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh fouled it up. Although the Trudeau government’s plan for that region has yet to be released in its entirety, the preliminary details suggest it is headed in the right direction on both economic and national security issues. Diversifying trade away from China and fighting foreign interference in Canada’s internal affairs are among Ottawa’s objectives. Success, of course, hinges on Canada forging stronger ties with a number of Indo-Pacific countries, chief among them India. With its fast-growing economy, India is a promising market for Canadian businesses, but bilateral relations have been suboptimal since Mr. Trudeau’s gaffe-filled trip there in 2018. Ottawa and New Delhi want to turn the page on the past and focus on shared goals, incl...