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NAFTA PARTNERS MEXICO, Canada and the United States plan to swiftly renegotiate their free trade deal, the White House announced last night.
President Donald Trump “agreed not to terminate NAFTA at this time and the leaders agreed to proceed swiftly… to enable the renegotiation of the NAFTA deal,” a statement said.
The announcement came after reports in US media that Trump was considering giving formal notice of pulling the United States out of the North American Free Trade Agreement.
A draft executive order was in the final stages of review, two White House officials told the Politico news website, and could be unveiled within a week or two. The New York Times had quoted a senior administration official saying Trump was likely to sign such an executive order.
But late last night Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross brushed off the reports as “rumour.”
“There was a rumour today that there would be an executive order, just a rumuor, and my practice is to comment on things we have actually done or are doing as opposed to commenting on rumours,” he said.
Disaster
Trump calls NAFTA, established 1 January, 1994, a “disaster” and has pledged to renegotiate the terms or abandon the pact altogether.
He blames NAFTA for the loss of millions of US industrial jobs, mostly to Mexico.
His administration also slapped tariffs in recent days on some imports of Canadian timber and threatened to retaliate against Canadian moves that harm US dairy farmers. Timber and milk, however, are not covered by NAFTA.
The softwood lumber dispute between Washington and Ottawa has also seen many twists and turns for nearly 35 years, with US producers accusing their Canadian counterparts of exporting lumber at subsidised prices, harming US businesses.
The lumber is a major part of the massive US construction and home-building industry — an economic bellwether. Most US homes are made with wood framing and some entirely of wood.
Earlier this week, the US Commerce Department announced it was imposing tariffs of up to 24% on Canadian softwood lumber.
Canada’s dairy sector is protected by tariffs on imports and controls on domestic production as a way to support prices for the country’s farmers.
The latest dairy trade row was triggered when Canada extended those policies to apply to ultrafiltered milk, a product used in cheese production and at the center of a thriving US export business.
The White House statement said Trump spoke late Wednesday with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada.
“Both conversations were pleasant and productive,” it said.
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Great initiative, a cynic might suggest the Church supplanted pagan holy days with Christian ones and now the neo liberals are doing similar with our revolutionary past but I think we need to celebrate the Easter Revolution with family fun days.
@Jarlath Murphy: A cynic might say that there’s feck all happening outside the pale.
@Brian MacCarthaigh:
The people putting events on in the city are people who live or work in their areas that are giving their time for free to do it. There is nothing stopping people outside Dublin doing the same thing. You can’t wait for things to be handed to you, you have to get up and do it yourself. Moaners get little done.
@john smith so do government mouthpieces
@John Smith: No, this is organised from the top down.
I’m unsure which I dislike more, the grey religious drudgery of yesteryear’s Easter or the ideologically right-on enforced joviality of this. Here’s a tip: lose the ideological bits and focus on the fun.
@8bitplebian:
But you mentioned two ideologies before asking for no ideology? It only becomes ideological when you make it so. Here’s a tip, stop mentioning ideology and focus on the fun.
@John Smith: That’s quite cantankerousky phrased. I suggest you attend the talk on masculinity to work on your delivery.
@8bitplebian:
I don’t take suggestions from confused people on the internet. It was cantankerous on purpose, because your original comment was, in itself, cantankerous.
Amagine getting dragged to “A range of talks on women’s role in Irish society – and how that’s changed and evolved over the years in city hall.” we may as well discuss now modern kitchens appliance spearheaded men’s total conquest of the kitchen area.
As for “controversial Garda commissioners”, how many days does that run? I have only ever known one type of commissioner. Have we ever demoted a commissioner back down to traffic.
It is important to celebrate our culture, hope it’s a good day.
@leartius: Its like winter in Cavan, as if Paddy’s day isn’t good enough that we have to make egits of ourselves every bank holiday weekend. Feck it, I have some spuds to plant…!!
It should be noted that Tallaght is part of our capital, and it has a wealth of events for this day. The library, Rua Red and the Civic Theatre all have loads of events happening, for the kids and the adults. If you are in the area drop on by, events start at 10 am and run until after dark. Tallaght is a vibrant community filled with wonderful people doing amazing things for art and culture, so come down and enjoy the fun. A great day across the country to share our sense of community.
We’re great at celebrating ourselves – the nicest people in the worild. Everyone loves us because we’re great craic…
Sounds like the usual half arsed efforts…merry-go-rounds, ballons and ice cream/burger vans…who’d be bothered.
With the Irish name you’d think it was what is perceived but Bollywood? We have the festival of world cultures every year for that. Were they afraid to marginalise others? Yea I can see India now doing just the same for us.
@leartius: I’d say ur pretty safe from being “dragged” there, stone age man isn’t exactly their target audience. ;)
It might be an idea for An Taoiseach to break the link between the church event of Easter and the 1916 rising. Tying a historical event to a particular religion’s feast day, that is determined by the full moon, is utterly irrational. High time to put 1916 on the calendar on the annual anniversary of the day the proclamation was read and let that be that.
@John Considine: That is true, but don’t you know that the Grinch would come along and steal easter for its own purposes.
More money spent on short termism instead of creating worthwhile outdoor facilities which could provide permanent enjoyment for everyone.
Ah yes more of our licence fee pee’d against a wall, but its okay, there’s nothing like a paean to the masses every once in a while.
Everyone will be cutting their lunch s. For back to work Tuesday
I don’t think there’s anything happening withing 100 miles of me. Typical really.
have your say