Welcome to the first edition of Trade Zone. It’s in beta testing, so please let us know what you think. Every week, our team at RBC Thought Leadership will share what we’re hearing from governments, learning from clients and seeing in our research. We’ll also give you a cheat sheet on the week, to help you keep pace.
If Mark Carney’s Liberals are re-elected on Monday, as polls are suggesting, expect them to shift their focus South and West by the end of the week.
To the South, expect a crew of newbies across the bureaucracy, as well as PMO, with experience in the U.S. A call with Donald Trump will top the To-Do list, with more than trade on their minds. “Comprehensive partnership” is one term floating about—to cover border security, immigration, Arctic and defence issues. And yes, trade, even if USMCA may not be long for this world in its current form.