The way in which public policy is developed is highly particular to the context - the political and institutional framework of the country, the subject area, and the key issues and events of the day. Canadian trade policy formation is no exception, being very much shaped by its context - the...

After the dramas of 2010-2012, when the erstwhile global recovery reeled from pillar to post, buffeted by one momentum-draining shock after another, 2013 was greeted with relief and a bit of cautious optimism. However, those hopes faced one cold shower – and forecast downgrade – after...

This report assesses major opportunities and constraints for the development of Eastern Africa's manufacturing sector, considers suitable examples from other regions, and draws lessons to enhance the manufacturing sector's contribution to Eastern Africa's economic transformation. The report is a...

For apparently irreconcilable domestic political reasons, the United States is an outlier amongst economically advanced countries as the only one that does not have a value added tax (VAT), which is the conventional and WTO-sanctioned approach to applying an economically efficient and...

The election of Donald J. Trump as President of the United States raises a litany of questions about the future of US trade policy. Canada, along with Mexico, is particularly heavily exposed to trade with the United States and there is considerable speculation about how Canada should react if...

Economic history since the industrial revolution has not been a story of gradual evolution. Rather it has been punctuated by disruptive changes that ushered in new episodes. The current episode is being ushered out; what will replace it? The sources of the disruption can be traced by the various...

The possibility of a Canada-China Free Trade Agreement has been under discussion for some time. China has reportedly offered to negotiate an FTA with Canada, although this has not been officially confirmed by the Canadian Government. A tentative step towards a negotiation was taken in the 2012...

China continues to grow in strategic importance for Canada and the world as a trade and innovation partner. China features untapped growth potential from internal integration and is underwriting East Asian regional integration through initiatives such as the One Belt – One Road trade corridor,...

The policy measures taken to address the coronavirus pandemic have plunged the global economy into the greatest recession since the 1930s. These measures were motivated in the first instance by the experience in regions where the virus was uncontained and resulted in overwhelmed medical systems...

This note comments on the economic impacts of the CUSMA, the implications for business certainty, and its readiness for the knowledge based and data-driven economy. Relative to the status quo, the CUSMA impacts negatively on economic efficiency and welfare, and leaves unaddressed the major new...