[Newsbot]

Title: Canada's U.S. ambassador to help premiers strategize in run-up to Trump trade talks
Category: Business
Posted By: DrCaleb
Date: 2017-07-18 06:01:07
Canadian

[DrCaleb]

Looks like the US wants to eliminate the pesky Dispute Resolution panel that keeps ruling against them when they throw up the protectionist barriers. Ummmmm, no.

[Freakinoldguy]

We're not going to be bargaining from a position of power period. The only card we hold is the US trade deficit and given that it's a paltry (when compared to the rest of the US economy) 10 billion dollars it's almost a non starter as a negotiating chip.

https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c1220.html

So given our weak position, if Mr. Trump wants to get rid of the dispute resolution panel I don't see how we're going to stop him. All he'll do is pull out of NAFTA completely and then wait till we come to the table cap in hand to renegotiate all our trade deals.

This guy may not be Presidential material but he sure as hell knows how to screw his business competitors which means when it comes to bargaining, we're in trouble from the get go united front or not. Although if we decided to withhold all our natural resources and trade them to China at a reduced price that might get his attention, but I doubt it.

[DrCaleb]

Freakinoldguy Freakinoldguy:

All he'll do is pull out of NAFTA completely and then wait till we come to the table cap in hand to renegotiate all our trade deals.

Given the nature of trade between us, I highly doubt dumping it is an option anyone in the Republican Party, or State Governors would allow. From the looks of the document, analysts are mostly positive on the negotiations. I think the dispute board is there just to try to lever Dairy or Softwood into the agreement somehow. I doubt that will happen too, given how protectionist the US is on those files.

Freakinoldguy Freakinoldguy:

Although if we decided to withhold all our natural resources and trade them to China at a reduced price that might get his attention, but I doubt it.

Perhaps that, and Brad Wall's call for a secret retaliation list might be our bargaining chip.

[DrCaleb]

After Trump's tough talk, NAFTA proposals look more like light reno than demolition