LyrArc Article Gist
Canada makes the decision to reinstate the visa requirement for Mexican citizens effective February 29th 2024. This was lifted by Trudeau in 2016 without a careful understanding of its implications. Since then Quebec insisted it was at the breaking point and pushed for reinstating the visa requirement. The Biden administration also pushed for the visa requirement as more people were illegally entering the US from Canada.

LyrArc Article Gist
Canadian prime minister Trudeau met with DJT at Mar-a-Lago. DJT said Mexico and Canada are not doing enough to stop flow of drugs in particular fentanyl into the US, and undocumented migrants. Trudeau said "when Donald Trump makes statements like that. He plans to carry it out." For Canada many dubious and questionable policies on immigration under Trudeau can be corrected. It has the most at stake as it exports $423 billion of goods to the US and 2 million people are employed in these exports. For a long time Mexico and Canada have remained insensitive to how policies led to harm for the American people, in ways that are unprecedented in American history and since the settlement of the North American continent.

LyrArc Article Gist
One can only take note now how far in a matter of weeks the Canadian government's attitudes have changed. Fentanyl deaths per day 205 US 21 Canada comparable for population in 2025 says Le Monde. US population 325 million, Canada's population is a tenth of that, both have fentanyl deaths that are at the same level.

Canada's Public Safety Minister Dsavid McGuinty says- "On per capita population, we're losing more Canadians than Americans are losing Americans. We are connected with this crisis."

Trudeau said "we agree wholeheartedly with our American neighbors that fentanyl must be wiped from the face of the earth."

LyrArc Article Gist
11 Pacific Rim nations form the Trans-Pacific Partnership in 2018. The Obama administration supported the trade pact alienating supporters in its union base particularly in the midwestern states. Mr. Trump opposed the TPP in his election campaign and made it a significant issue for swing voters in midwestern states after job losses in the auto industry. With the opposition of president Trump the U.S. decided to withdraw from TPP.  The 11 nations agreeing to join a revised agreement are Japan, Canada, Mexico, Australia, Brunei, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. So far six countries have formally approved the deal, Australia, Canada, Mexico, Singapore, New Zealand and Japan, setting the stage for two rounds of tariff reductions starting December 30, 2018. Agricultural products duties will be duty free within 3 to 7 years including for Japan and Mexico. Australia, New Zealand, Canada are major agricultural exporters. Japan supported the deal as a way to counter China's influence in the region. In the U.S. the gains would be in intellectual property rights but losses for workers in the auto and manufacturing industries, a point Mr. Trump recognized in his election campaign as he campaigned in the midwestern states. Mr. Obama pursued TPP over objections of workers organizations and unions including auto workers union, with his advisors suggesting this as a way to counter China's influence in the region. By 2018 the Democratic party support base fractured on this as one of the major issues.   ...

LyrArc Article Gist
German chancellor Scholz and Economy Minister Habeck are on a visit to Canada to negotiate new deals for LNG and hydrogen supply chains. Canada is seen as a resource rich economy with stable supplies and a democracy firmly within the western alliance, that is also a key supplier of energy. Germany is looking for new resources after Habeck's trips to negotiate deals with Qatar and other Gulf countries.

LyrArc Article Gist
Mark Carney, chief of the central bank of Canada, was chosen to be the next Governor of the Bank of England, succeeding Mervyn King. Carney's private sector experience with Goldman Sachs has given him contacts with people in the city of London and in British industry. He also studied at Oxford for a doctorate in economics. He helped Canada strengthen the economic reforms made in the previous 15-20 years, in his position as head of the Bank of Canada, say experts. This helped Canada withstand the 2008 financial crisis better than other countries. He says he can "play a constructive role in relaunching this institution with its new responsibilities."

LyrArc Article Gist
DJT administration 25% tariffs on Canada Mexico for not stopping fentanyl flows as domestic policy go ahead on March 4, 2025. This lays the ground to tackle aproblem that has led to 490,000 American deaths and devastated communities across the US - the flow of fentanyl into the US from Mexico, Canad and China. Separately an additional 10% tariff is going to effect on China on top of earlier tariffs on China.  The media keeps talking about this tariff as a economic action, not as action to stop all fentanyl flows as is repeatedly stated by DJT and the Administration. Most of the media has failed to talk about the fentanyl deaths over 12 years referring as one of the prominent media states as the "death of thousands" not giving the staggering number and the scale of the devastation of communities in America after the damage from the 2009 financial crisis caused by banks, the deindustrialization of America that was allowed to happen under Bush Republicans and Obama Democrats, and the covid pandemic crisis.  ...

LyrArc Article Gist
US fentanyl tariffs on Canada and Mexico go into effect on March 4, 2024. 

LyrArc Article Gist
Canada does better with only 28,000 cases of the virus compared to 3 million in the U.S. by early July 2020, 300 infections a day compared to 28,000 a day. Three things Canada got right are its health system that provides universal health care to all Canadians, not having culture wars about accepted practice such as face covering and social distancing, and Trudeau adopting an approach of bringing Canadian opinion around a common fight against the virus.

LyrArc Article Gist
This analysis in the NYT about U.S. action in Venezuela supporting the Guiado interim government, says this is the first intervention for a president who is against intervention. The head of the Inter American Dialogue, Mr. Shifter, says Senator Rubio and Florida senators who are close to Latin America played a role in bringing to Mr. Trump's attention the problems and refugees leaving Venezuela.

As the government shutdown continues over a wall with Mexico, president Trump has taken a different tone in his support of new and credible elections in Venezuela for a way out of the economic collapse in Venezuela. In this situation most of the nations of Latin America have come out in support of Mr. Trump, including Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Colombia and Peru, and Canada has taken a lead along with the U.S. for the first time. The EU has also supported the move for credible and new elections set up by an interim government.

LyrArc Article Gist
India faces tariff of 25% with policies of reliance on Russia for arms and oil,  Mexico Canada and South Korea face higher tariffs August 1 2025 as they are holdouts now that UK, Japan, EU, Indonesia, Vietnam have agreements with the US on trade.

LyrArc Article Gist
The largest fire in Texas history burnt over 1 million acres in the Texas Panhandle. In the area around Amarillo where the fire started temperatures in March are 54 degrees, the temperature hit 82 degrees, the winds and dry grass caused the fire says this report in NYT. Most fires are in the summer. All this is a part of the change in climate and climate change. After wildfires in Canada, new ones in Canada's Quebec region, this fire in Texas.

LyrArc Article Gist
Graphs in this Washington Post report show the success or failure of vaccination drives around the world from the US and Canada to Europe, Brazil, Japan and Africa as of the first week of July 2021. Japan and Africa are far behind Europe and America. By July 4, 59% of Americans were fully vaccinated short of Biden's goal of 70%, according to CDC. Canada, Italy, Germany have passed the US. By making vaccinations mandatory France is working to catchup with Germany and Italy. Canada and UK lead in vaccination drives. 

LyrArc Article Gist
It took action by DJT for what Canada and Mexico could have done from common sense. This is an unconventional use of tariffs by the US. Yet this was an unconventional situation in which the US under several administrations Republican and Democrat Clinton-Bush-Obama, allowed the situation at the Border leave the US in a deteriorating situation with its neighbors to the north and south. Canada and Mexico could have acted before the 25% yet they did not act till the tariff was imposed. A situation such as this cannot be found in the history of the United States of America from its founding in 1776, not in 225 years has the US seen such loss of life from fentanyl and drugs crossing its borders, or the constant flow of illegal migration, neglect of its auto industry and jobs in the US. DJT stated on Truth Social media site-"Canada has agreed to ensure we have a secure Northern Border. I am very pleased with this initial outcome, and the Tariffs announced on Saturday will be paused for a 30 day period to see whether or not a final Economic deal with Canada can be structured." "Fairness for all!"   ...

LyrArc Article Gist
Any hopes that the U.S. would compromise on its position on trade issues were dampened after the G-7 Summit meetings in Canada. Europe and Canada are frustrated at their inability to move Mr. Trump on trade issues. Mr. Trump made jabs on trade, terrorism and immigration during 2 days of meetings. There is also uncertainty about the NAFTA though trade negotiations on NAFTA continue in Quebec. Trump says the negotiations were friendly and moving along until Mr. Trudeau made his own remarks about not being pushed around by its larger neighbor. On some issues there is not even an agreement on facts as president Trump says the U.S. has a trade deficit of $100 billion with Canada, Trudeau says the U.S. has a surplus. Trump says the high cost dairy industry is protected by Canada.

LyrArc Article Gist
House prices that went up by 532% in Australia, 602% in Canada since 1990 now face the prospect of decline by 20 or 30% after sharp increase in interest rates by central banks in the US and other countries. US prices were up 289% since 1990 by comparison. The Fed's moves could also lead to a decline in US home prices as mortgages become costlier. As many mortgages are not fixed in Australia and Canada the costs can increase sharply with rising rates.

LyrArc Article Gist
Following the pandemic and rebuilding of world supply chains Canada is rebuilding its relations with India as a way forward for greater economic engagement. This is accelerating during the G-20 meetings and set on a new framework.

LyrArc Article Gist
Pierre Poilievre gained prominence when he supported the Canadian truckers strike in 2022.  That year he was elected leader of the of the Conservatives party of Canada. In March 2022 the Conservative party crossed the Liberals with popularity at 32%. The NDP coalition ally of the Liberals was at 17%. Starting March 2024 the Liberals took a huge slide in the polls to 25% with Conservatives gaining to reach 42%.  The issues about cost of living, the Border and transgender culture issues resonate in Canada in the same way that they do with Americans. Voters say they can't afford gas at the pump and groceries. Pierre Poilevre has emerged as a leader of Conservatives at a point when for the first time since the 1980's it has a 20% point margin over the Liberals and Trudeau. There is also the issue of who will be best at negotiating on the tariffs issue with the DJT administration in the US. DJT does not take Trudeau seriously calling Canada the 51st state. ...

LyrArc Article Gist
The WSJ calls it a chaotic runup while conceding that the stated purpose was clearly to stop fentanyl and migrants coming across the US land Borders with Canada and Mexico. In reality its purpose is clear and it is the recalcitrant positions of Canada and Mexico and the failure of previous administrations since Clinton-Bush-Obama to act forcefully in the face of such an attitude that was the problem. Of what amounts to indifference from Canada and Mexico to fentanyl flows  and the destroying of America, that made it imperative for America to use all the powers at its disposal to get action to stop fentanyl and migrants.  These powers at America's disposal include economic power tariffs being one, and other powers as necessary, as no nation can long endure such indifferent attitudes to harm done against another for long. It is a lesson for America that what TR called carrying a big stick can be a problem when there is the complete opposite taking place.     ...

LyrArc Article Gist
Greg Ip points out in this WSJ analysis that the new NAFTA after negotiations and warnings from Mr. Trump to scrap NAFTA, is not very different from the old NAFTA. Mexico made concessions on auto exports and labor rights, wages. Canada made concessions for the dairy industry. Yet the combined influence of business interests, Canada's lobbying in U.S. Congress and state governments, and the restraint shown by Trump's own advisers prevailed in limiting Mr. Trump's tendencies to go for a "America first" agenda. It shows, says Ip, that there is resilience in the existing order.  It also shows what future trade negotiations with the European Union and Japan over steel and autos could look like. President Trump will continue to face resistance within from his advisers and from exporters, business, Congress, on following an exclusively "America First" agenda. President Trump will need to extol NAFTA in its current version the USMCA, U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement, to get it through the U.S. Congress in 2019.   Mexico's main concessions on autos were to agree to potential tariffs if exports exceed 2.6 million vehicles.  This keeps Mexico's status as a major auto export hub intact. Auto experts say VW and Mazda may simply pay the tariff of 2.5% for lower priced models assembled in Mexico that do not qualify for duty free entry instead of shifting production to the U.S. Current shipments from Mexico are not affected as U.S. demand is weak. Labor rights and higher wages in Mexico's auto industry are a win-win for Mexico and the U.S.. They are supported by the socialist administration of newly elected Mexican president Obrador. Canada's main concession was to expand U.S. access to Canada's protected dairy industry, with Canada already prepared to make the concession. Mr. Trump had also to consider the possibility that excluding Canada from the USMCA would have not passed Congress, and face even more resistance in a Democratic controlled Congress after 2019 elections.  The support Canada has received in Congress does not extend to China, which gets much less support in Congress, leading to higher uncertainty in the negotiations with China and possibly different outcome with the size of the trade imbalance of $1 billion a day factored in.   ...

LyrArc Article Gist
DJT was supported by Shinzo Abe of Japan, also Germany and Italy, only Anglo-Saxon Canada and UK opposed to Russia staying in G-8.  “Barack Obama and a person named Trudeau didn’t want to have Russia in. And I would say that was a mistake because you wouldn’t have a war right now" “Putin speaks to me, he doesn’t speak to anybody else because he was insulted when he got thrown out of the G8.” Just to understand support for DJT and the huge mistake made by Obama and Merkel, Canada, UK prime ministers in 2014 to cancel the G-8 Summit in Sochi, Russia and expel Russia from G-8 in 2014. Did it help solve anything not to have discussions. Hidden in all this was Obama's lack of understanding of role Russia plays in Northern Europe and his mistake to judge Russia on basis of GDP alone as an insignificant power. Shinzo Abe-" Russia's in G-8 discussions is "crucial to tackling multiple crises in the Middle East" Italian and German leaders also felt Russia in G-8 was important to end Cold War atmosphere.  ...

LyrArc Article Gist
As the heat wave in Spain, in western Canada and in other parts of the world shows, the situation is not getting better. Climate change action needs a new urgency.

LyrArc Article Gist
Issues that have hampered the 170 passenger aircraft Airbus A220 which came out in 2016 a later version of the Boeing 737. Problems at Bombardier of Canada were seen early.