Unfettered free trade is a delusion. The reality is that governments worldwide do not want to give up their policy making autonomy, which would be constrained by real free trade agreements. Nevertheless, freer trade is better than no trade.
Prime Minister Mark Carney is headed to Washington, D.C., for a high-stakes meeting with Donald Trump as the American president continues his trade war and annexation threats against Canada. “We are meeting as heads of our government,” Carney said at a news conference late last week. “I am not pretending those discussions will be easy.” […]