White House, Canadian government far apart on environmental issues

U.S. President Donald Trump’s stance on climate change may end up being the biggest stumbling block in NAFTA talks when it comes to the environment.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reiterated Friday during a tour of eastern Ontario that he wants climate change, reducing emissions and moving to a low-carbon economy to be written into the new NAFTA when Canada, the U.S. and Mexico begin renegotiating the deal later this month.

“We are certainly looking for a better level playing field across North America on environmental protections,” Trudeau said.

However with Trump withdrawing the U.S. from the Paris climate change agreement, referring to climate change as a “hoax” and pledging to return the U.S. coal industry to its glory days, the White House and the Canadian government are pretty far apart on many environmental issues.

Even getting the words “climate change” into the agreement could be a struggle.

A government official speaking on background told The Canadian Press last week, that on the environment side, Canada will be looking to the free trade agreement recently signed with Europe, known as the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, or CETA, as a template.

Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland has referred to CETA as the gold standard of trade agreements when it comes to the environment and said she wants to push CETA’s environment chapter with the U.S. and Mexico on NAFTA.

However, several trade experts say the United States is going to be pushing for the environment chapter in NAFTA to be more closely aligned with the now-defunct Trans Pacific Partnership or TPP.

One key difference? CETA mentions change. TPP does not.

“CETA is more relevant to Canada and the TPP is more relevant to the United States,” said Peter Clark, an international trade expert and president of the Ottawa firm Grey, Clark, Shih and Associates.

Several American states are stepping up to maintain their climate change commitments despite the federal government’s pullback, however NAFTA isn’t being negotiated at the state level.

Tim Gray, executive director of Environmental Defence, said whether Canada can push the U.S. into adding climate change protections and mitigation to NAFTA may depend on how influential state governments can be in the talks.

“Major economies like California and northeastern states that climate already have various forms of carbon pricing may have a real interest in this,” he said.

Canada’s coming national price on carbon adds further fuel to the debate, as some will be looking for Canadian industries affected by the carbon price to get protections, maybe even in the form of a carbon tax applied at the border on goods coming from places in the U.S. where there is no such policy.

Clark said mischievously he recommends Canada seek a border adjustment carbon tax at best, but at a bare minimum he believes Canada should require the Paris Agreement be added to a list of multilateral environment agreements to which NAFTA countries must belong.

In its list of objectives for NAFTA released last month, the Office of the United States Trade Representative said it wants NAFTA to require signatories to adopt and uphold their obligations under several such pacts, including the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

Startled, she shoved him away and yelled at him before calmly continuing her report.

She later posted photos and video of the man to Facebook in an effort to track him down, making clear she found it neither adorable or flattering.

“In the end I would like him to understand why his gesture is unacceptable,” she wrote.

Bain took to social media again Monday evening, publishing an apology she received from the man — a father of two who said he was ashamed and regretted the unwanted gesture.

In a note to the reporter, he admitted he’d gone too far in his actions, explaining he did it to try to get a laugh out of his entourage.

“I sent as a message that it was funny, even normal, to kiss a journalist during a report on the cheek,” he wrote asking forgiveness.

“I can not find any words that justifies my gesture.”

The federation representing Quebec journalists says the public needs to be reminded such behaviour is unacceptable.

Stephane Giroux, head of the Quebec journalists’ federation, believes it was a clear-cut case of sexual harassment.

“You would not do that to a random person on the street,” Giroux said Monday. “What makes you think you can do this to a reporter on television doing her work?

“For me, it’s mind-boggling that an adult male would think that he has a right to do this.”

The incident follows others in which on-camera female reporters were heckled with a notorious vulgar phrase, often abbreviated to “FHRITP.”

There have been several cases in North America, including one involving a heckler screaming it at a reporter covering a Toronto FC soccer game.

Some newsrooms across the country have instituted procedures and guidelines, with some hiring private security.

“Major economies like California and northeastern states that already have various forms of carbon pricing may have a real interest in this.”

Tim Gray, executive director, Environmental Defence