Neil Moss

Neil Moss

‘Don’t hold your breath’: former U.S. envoy not expecting midterms to alter Trump’s tariff approach

With American voters heading to the ballot box in less than two months for consequential Congressional midterms, a former United States ambassador to Canada says that American tariff policy is unlikely to change no matter the result. Some American border-state lawmakers have raised alarms over the escalating tariffs and counter-tariffs as the Canada-U.S. trade war continues to spiral, including Republican...

Neil Moss

An anti-trade poison pill made Canada-U.S. deal ‘easy to walk away from,’ say ex-diplomats

After Prime Minister Mark Carney signalled there was a last-minute American demand that would threaten Canada’s diversification agenda, trade observers say United States President Donald Trump neither wants to see Ottawa retaliate to his aggressive trade action, nor look for other markets. Carney (Nepean, Ont.) said a culmination of disputes led negotiations with the U.S. to fall apart last week...

Neil Moss

‘I have a hard time picturing how that won’t factor in’: Canada-U.S. talks loom over byelections

In the upcoming byelections, Prime Minister Mark Carney is facing his first major test of maintaining domestic support for his approach to trade talks with the United States as former MPs and strategists caution against another concession. Since coming to power 17 months ago, Carney (Nepean, Ont.) has enjoyed near infrangible public support in his dealings with U.S. President Donald...

Neil Moss

Canada shutters embassy in South Sudan, further reducing diplomatic presence in East Africa

Canada’s foreign ministry says it is “temporarily” ceasing its mission in South Sudan, which a former envoy in Juba described as a “roundabout way of saying the embassy is closing.” Global Affairs Canada (GAC) confirmed to The Hill Times on Aug. 8 that the Canadian Embassy in South Sudan is “temporarily suspending operations” in response to questions about the future...

Neil Moss

Canada to nearly eliminate troop contribution to UN peacekeeping missions next year

The country’s troop commitment to United Nations peacekeeping will nearly cease next year after the federal government announced last month that it is ending three military missions. Canada announced on July 17 that it would be ending its contribution to UN peacekeeping missions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), South Sudan, and Cyprus by mid-2027.

Neil Moss

Lack of global response will hinder any Canadian retaliation to Trump’s tariffs, says former senior Liberal adviser

With pressure building on the federal government to retaliate after United States President Donald Trump’s latest round of tariff threats against Canada, a former senior Liberal adviser says that a unilateral approach would be the wrong one. When Trump enacted tariffs on countries throughout the world soon after returning to the White House last year, Canada was nearly alone among...

Neil Moss

Carney shielded from political fallout from lagging U.S. trade talks as Canadians place blame on Trump, say pollsters

Pollsters say Canadians won’t blame Prime Minister Mark Carney for any potential shortcomings in his approach with the Trump administration. Conservatives have criticized Carney (Nepean, Ont.) for offering “contradictions” on the agreement reached with United States President Donald Trump to open the Gordie Howe Bridge later this month.

Neil Moss

‘Buyer’s remorse’ building over Carney’s ‘transactionalist’ approach to global affairs, says ex-Grit foreign minister Axworthy

'There’s a fairly narrow bandwidth that the government is working on internationally,' says Lloyd Axworthy, but other past officials disagree that the PM's method is a 'radical departure,' calling it a 'wonderful opportunity.' Former Liberal top diplomat Lloyd Axworthy says Prime Minister Mark Carney is forgoing consultation in his approach to foreign policy, and that his method is diminishing the...

Neil Moss

Spy watchdog group implores feds to begin mandated review after nearly four-year delay

Nearly four years after a statutory review of the act that created a national security oversight body of parliamentarians was supposed to take place, it remains unstarted, with the federal government indicating it will finally begin later this year. The bill that created the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP) was passed in 2017. It set out that...

Neil Moss

India looking to Canada to balance ‘inequality’ of markets in trade talks: envoy

India is eyeing Canada to “balance the imbalance” in any upcoming free trade agreement, with Canadian investment in the South Asian nation an option on the table. Both Canada and India are aiming for a completed pact by the end of the year after the two countries have spent years trying to negotiate a deal.

Neil Moss

U.S. State Department looks to Canada to offer support as Trump eyes Cuba

With United States President Donald Trump increasing pressure on Cuba, his country’s State Department is looking to Canada to build support for regime change in Havana. Foreign Affairs deputy minister Arun Thangaraj was at the U.S. State Department last week where he met with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau. During that meeting, the topic of Cuba came up...

Neil Moss

Canada navigating ‘new reality’ of defence ties with U.S. over a year after Carney declared end to ‘old’ bond

More than a year after Prime Minister Mark Carney declared that the “old” defence relationship with the United States was “over,” some signs have emerged about a new path forward, but Canada remains closely tied to historic Canada-U.S. military relations. In the Defence Industrial Strategy last fall, Canada signalled a pivot away from its reliance on U.S. arms exports, but...

Neil Moss

Off the record: government bills increasingly passing House without recorded tally

Thirty-one per cent of government bills during this Parliament had a recorded vote at third reading in the House, compared to 66 per cent in the 44th Parliament and 47 per cent in the 43rd Parliament. During the current Parliament, MPs have been less likely to stand to cast their vote on government legislation to send it off to the...

Neil Moss

As Mexico and U.S. are set to start the CUSMA review, Canada continues waiting game

With Mexico and the United States planning to convene for formal bilateral talks for the review of the North American trade pact, Conservative MPs are questioning Canada’s “go slow” strategy, but analysts say waiting out the U.S. is the best path forward.

Neil Moss

Japan not expecting ‘major shift’ in Canada’s posture in the Indo-Pacific: official

With Canada conducting a rework of its plan for engagement in the Indo-Pacific, Japan isn’t expecting major changes, according to an official from the country. Prime Minister Mark Carney (Nepean, Ont.) is set to land in Japan for the first time as head of government on March 6 on the tail end of a trip that’s had stops in India...

Neil Moss

Canada ‘abandoning’ international law with support for U.S. strikes on Iran, say former diplomats

With Canada’s endorsement of American and Israeli air strikes on Iran, past Liberal foreign ministers and former international law practitioners are signalling alarm over what they call the federal government’s indifference to international law. On Feb. 28, the United States and Israel launched air strikes on Iran, which led to the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other...

Neil Moss

Carney breaks with tradition in selecting Charette as chief negotiator for U.S. trade

With the appointment of former top bureaucrat Janice Charette, Prime Minister Mark Carney has bucked tradition by picking a chief negotiator for Canada-United States trade who doesn’t have an abundance of trade experience. In the past, chief trade negotiators have had extensive experience with the technical side of trade policy, having served in Global Affairs Canada’s (GAC) trade policy bureau...

Neil Moss

New strategy outlines ‘ambitious’ defence readiness objective months after downgrading air fleet target

Eight months after downgrading the air fleet readiness target, the Liberal government’s Defence Industrial Strategy is promising new ambitious goals for serviceability in the next 10 years. As part of the much-anticipated strategy, Canada has pledged to raise air fleet serviceability to 85 per cent, as well as 75 per cent for maritime and 80 per cent for land fleets...

Neil Moss

Senators ‘hopeful’ for shifting tide in Congress as U.S. lawmakers rally to Canada’s cause

With the United States House of Representatives voting to overturn President Donald Trump’s emergency tariffs on Canada, Canadian Senators who were on a recent delegation to Washington, D.C., say they are hopeful that the tide is changing. The Canada-U.S. Inter-Parliamentary Group (IPG) travelled to the American capital Jan. 21-22 as part of the Future Borders Coalition Transportation Border Summit. During...

Neil Moss

‘Something new is needed’: Ottawa’s diplomatic corps still trying to grasp Carney’s worldview after Davos

Foreign diplomats in Ottawa are applauding the vision of Canada’s foreign policy direction outlined by Prime Minister Mark Carney in his Davos address, but they’re coming to different conclusions about how it will get implemented.

Neil Moss

Feds prioritize speed in trade agenda as MPs raise alarm over transparency

Unlike the U.S. consultations for the CUSMA review, Canadian submissions have remained secret, and House International Trade Committee members are pushing for more information.

Neil Moss

Union warns foreign ministry cuts will hamper delivery of Carney doctrine

In Davos, Switzerland, Prime Minister Mark Carney mapped out a new path for Canada’s foreign policy, but a union representing Canadian diplomats says that work will be threatened by cuts in the foreign ministry. Carney’s (Nepean, Ont.) Jan. 20 World Economic Forum speech has garnered international attention and praise as he trumpeted a coalition of middle powers in a time...

Neil Moss

Questions loom over future of Canada’s Indo-Pacific strategy after China détente

More than three years ago, Ottawa remapped its engagement in Asia as it declared China an “increasingly disruptive global power,” but after Canada struck a recent trade deal with Beijing, the future of the Indo-Pacific strategy is up in the air. The deal in question paves the way for up to 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles to enter the Canadian market...

Neil Moss

New GAC report on ‘game-changing’ Canada-Indonesia deal reduces projected export growth by more than half

Canada’s foreign ministry is scaling back predictions for export growth after finalizing a trade pact with Indonesia, according to a recently tabled report. A 2020 economic assessment of the previous year’s data suggested that Canadian exports to Indonesia “could” grow by $446.5-million, and that GDP “could” increase by $328-million through a trade agreement.

Neil Moss

Carney government showing a ‘clear reluctance’ to criticize Trump with lack of direct condemnation over Venezuela raid, says past Liberal foreign minister Axworthy

In the wake of American forces capturing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and conducting air strikes in the country, a former Liberal foreign affairs minister is calling on Canada to stand up to violations of international law by the administration of United States President Donald Trump. In an early morning military raid on Jan. 3, U.S. military forces apprehended Maduro in...

Neil Moss

‘Most dangerous period that we’ve been in’: Carney urged to bolster ‘Team Canada’ approach ahead of CUSMA review

The Carney government isn't repeating many of the same steps that allowed Canada to come out of the NAFTA renegotiations with a trade deal intact even though the U.S. president can do more damage to the Canadian economy this time around, says Senator Hassan Yussuff.

Neil Moss

‘This is a process unlike any we’ve ever seen’: questions loom over Canada’s readiness for CUSMA review

A mandated review of Canada’s most consequential trade pact is set to take place in the new year, and as much remains unknown about how it will unfold, some are questioning whether the federal government has done the necessary groundwork. The Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) mandates a review be held on its sixth anniversary of entry into force. It first...

Neil Moss

India eyes speedy, year-long negotiation to finalize trade pact with Canada

Trade observers say trade shocks brought on by U.S. President Donald Trump and recent pacts struck by India with other nations have re-awakened hopes for a deal between Ottawa and New Delhi.

Neil Moss

Constituent seeking help for brother and others fleeing Sudan civil war says immigration minister ‘angry, rude, and dismissive’ in phone call

A constituent trying to bring her brother and his family to Canada and raise awareness for others trying to flee the catastrophic Sudanese Civil War says she was yelled at by her MP, Immigration Minister Lena Diab. Huwaida Medani—who lives in Diab’s riding of Halifax West, N.S.—has been trying to bring her brother to Canada, as well as his wife...

Neil Moss

Gripen fighter jet purchase would allow Canada to assert sovereignty, says past chair of House Defence Committee McKay

A former chair of the House Defence Committee says the federal government should reverse course and buy Sweden’s Gripen warplane over the American F-35. There has been a full-court press trumpeting Saab’s fighter jet, which included a visit to Canada’s capital by the Swedish royal family. Canada’s selection of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 for its next fighter jet fleet is currently...

Neil Moss

Fentanyl tariffs, U.S. air strikes avoided at G7 ministers’ discussion on drug trafficking

Contentious issues that put Canada’s southern neighbour in the spotlight were kept off the agenda for the second straight G7 ministerial meeting. When the Group of Seven interior and security ministers huddled in Ottawa from Nov. 22-23, neither American tariffs on Canada, nor the Trump administration’s air strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean were up for discussion, according...

Neil Moss

Anand urged to reverse ‘wrong’ course of letting U.S. decide if it breached international law with boat strikes

Experts say that Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand has erred in proclaiming that it is up to the U.S. to decide if it has violated international law. A former Liberal foreign affairs minister and a number of international law experts and advocates are urging Canada’s top diplomat to reverse course on pronouncing that it is the United States that should...

Neil Moss

Up to the U.S. to decide if it violated international law with Caribbean boat strikes, says Anand

Canada’s foreign minister suggested that it is not her job to determine if the United States has breached international law when striking alleged drug boats in the Caribbean Sea. Foreign Minister Anita Anand (Oakville East, Ont.) made the remark at the closing press conference of the final gathering of top diplomats of Canada’s G7 presidency in Ontario’s Niagara region on...

Neil Moss

Canada’s G7 presidency faces last major test as top diplomats set to gather in Niagara

Foreign Minister Anita Anand has suggested the G7 foreign ministers’ meeting will focus on multilateral geopolitical issues in a departure from the approach taken when her predecessor hosted the gathering in March and keyed in on the Canada-U.S. relationship. Seven months after Canada first hosted top diplomats from the Group of Seven, they will reconvene for two days of meetings...

Neil Moss

Canada’s hope to constrain Trump’s tariff agenda shifts to America’s top court

With another pause in cross-border trade talks, an upcoming United States Supreme Court case could diminish the pace of President Donald Trump’s tariff agenda. The top U.S. court is set to hear oral arguments on Nov. 5 over the legality of the White House’s use of tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The U.S. has imposed IEEPA...

Neil Moss, Eleanor Wand

‘Bridge is not burnt’: suspension of trade talks over Ontario ad just another Trump tactic, says former negotiator

With United States President Donald Trump declaring another pause in trade talks with Ottawa, a former Canadian negotiator says the move is just a tactic being used by the American leader to advance his trade agenda. In a late-night post on Truth Social on Oct. 23, Trump announced that “all trade negotiations with Canada are hereby terminated” in response to...

Neil Moss

Short-listed shipbuilders say Poland’s submarine pick won’t affect delivery on Canadian procurement

With Canada and Poland considering the same submarine builds on similar timelines, questions loom over the delivery schedule if the two countries pick the same vessel, but the two shipbuilders that Ottawa would select between say Warsaw’s choice won’t impede the pledged timeline.

Neil Moss

House Trade Committee needs to be ‘respectful’ of Carney’s approach to Trump talks, says Liberal chair

The government has released few details about the state of negotiations with the U.S., seemingly at odds with its acknowledgement that Canadians have concerns over a lack of transparency in trade talks. The Liberal chair of the House International Trade Committee says MPs have to be careful what they say as not to risk impeding Ottawa’s negotiating efforts with the...

Neil Moss

Complementary, but limited: how Carney’s use of ‘personal’ envoys can boost the foreign service

Although the government it hasn't yet reached that point, too many political appointments 'is never ideal because it undermines morale in the diplomatic service,' says professor Adam Chapnick.

Neil Moss

Hegseth’s attack on rules of engagement could limit Canadian operations with ‘lawless’ U.S. military, says former House Defence Committee chair McKay

Pete Hegseth described past American rules of engagement as 'politically correct and overbearing,' and has indicated that rules of war will be loosened to allow U.S. soldiers to 'intimidate, demoralize, hunt, and kill the enemies of our country.'

Neil Moss, Irem Koca

Canada’s submarine purchase has new ‘sense of urgency’ with possible selection by end of year, says German envoy

With two options on the table to replace Canada’s aging fleet of Victoria-class submarines, Germany’s top diplomat in Canada says that a decision could be made by the end of the year as there is a new “sense of urgency” for the procurement. In August, the federal government narrowed the field of potential submarines to Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS)—jointly...

Neil Moss

‘I’ve had to run to keep up’: U.K. envoy trumpets ‘new energy’ in Canadian relationship, but questions loom over trade talks

Seven months into his job as the United Kingdom’s top diplomat in Canada, Rob Tinline has already been through a sea change in Canadian politics. Just 15 days after Tinline presented his letter of introduction to Justin Trudeau, the outgoing prime minister’s nearly decade in charge had ended. “It feels like there’s a new energy in the relationship,” said Tinline...

Neil Moss

Carney sets out to repair Canada-Mexico strife ahead of CUSMA review

Prime Minister Mark Carney’s first visit to Mexico last week has the opposition lamenting a lack of progress, but observers see a chance for the rocky bilateral relationship to rebound. While in Mexico on Sept. 18 and 19, Carney (Nepean, Ont.) and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced a “comprehensive strategic partnership” between the two countries to deepen trade and investment...

Neil Moss

‘Excessive secrecy’: PMO not releasing summaries of some Carney-Trump calls

Prime Minister Mark Carney has insisted that he won't conduct trade talks with the U.S. in public as some have criticized his approach as lacking transparency. When Prime Minister Mark Carney phones United States President Donald Trump, a traditional “readout” summarizing the leaders’ conversation has not always materialized. Carney (Nepean, Ont.) has consistently noted that he will not negotiate in...

Neil Moss

Fentanyl tariff ruling doesn’t cast aside Trump’s ‘national emergency’ spotlight on border

Although a United States appeals court struck down President Donald Trump’s use of emergency tariffs, it did not counter the idea that the guiding rationale behind those levies—including ones targeting Canada—was a national security threat. Trump had asserted the necessity of enacting tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) aimed at Canada, Mexico, and China to address fentanyl...

Neil Moss

Latvia extension forges near-permanent Canadian Army presence in Europe, leaving limited ability to deploy elsewhere

Canada’s three-year extension for its mission in Latvia entrenches a permanent presence in Europe for the Canadian Army—prioritizing the region over all others, with limited ability to deploy elsewhere. Prime Minister Mark Carney (Nepean, Ont.) announced on Aug. 26 that Canada would be extending its mission in the Baltic nation. Currently, it has around 2,000 troops in Latvia, and leads...

Neil Moss

Carney will need to show results for trade concessions, says Canada-U.S. council member

The Liberal government has made successive concessions to the Trump administration, but it is not seemingly evident what has been gained. After another concession to United States President Donald Trump, a Senator on Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Canada-U.S. council says that Canadians will need to see results from the rollback. Carney (Nepean, Ont.) announced on Aug. 22 that Canada would...

Neil Moss

GAC’s dissent channel offers partial anonymity, forbids undermining leadership: memo

The foreign ministry’s new dissent channel offers diplomats the option for partial anonymity when criticizing the trajectory of Canadian external relations, but bars users from attempting to “undermine leadership,” according to a departmental memo. A dissent channel has been used by the United States’ State Department since the early 1970s. Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) launched its own version...

Neil Moss

Former Conservative trade minister eyes expanded Canada-U.S. pact for added negotiating leverage

Architects of a plan to expand bilateral negotiations with the U.S. say that Canada cannot replace the American market through diversification. Canada will have to broaden its negotiations with the United States to include the totality of the bilateral relationship to gain leverage in any talks with its southern neighbour, says former Conservative trade minister Ed Fast. That would include...

Neil Moss

House Finance Committee faces pre-budget time crunch ahead of fall tabling

With only a matter of weeks to undertake pre-budget consultations when the House of Commons returns in the fall, the Finance Committee faces a tight deadline to finish its work, while some question the value of past studies. Prime Minister Mark Carney (Nepean, Ont.) has pledged to table a budget in the fall. The final fall sitting day is on...

Neil Moss

August deadline could force Canada to sign a deal before courts rule on legality of Trump’s fentanyl tariffs

With the clock ticking down to an Aug. 1 deadline for a potential Canada-United States trade agreement, there’s a chance a deal could come ahead of a U.S. judicial ruling on the legality of the Trump administration’s emergency tariffs—a ruling some observers say could give Canada some negotiating leverage. Last May, the U.S. Court of International Trade ruled that U.S...

Neil Moss

Transparency in trade talks to come when deal complete, says Senator on Canada-U.S. council

Amid calls for increased transparency over the Liberal government’s negotiations with the United States, a member of the prime minister’s Canada-U.S. advisory council says that clarity will have to wait until trade talks are completed. Prime Minister Mark Carney (Nepean, Ont.) has been mum on what precisely he is seeking to accomplish in trade negotiations with U.S. President Donald Trump...

Neil Moss

‘A critical mistake’: former Grit ministers call out what they say is Carney’s capitulation to Trump

Prime Minister Mark Carney's 'elbows up' approach to U.S. President Donald Trump has evolved into public fawning and a major trade concession with seemingly little gained, say observers. After promising to be a truculent foil to the Trump administration during the spring federal election, Prime Minister Mark Carney now faces questions about whether his rhetoric matches reality.

Neil Moss

‘What is being promised?’: NDP, labour call for more transparency in trade talks with Trump

The New Democrats and labour groups want the Carney government to explain what it is seeking to accomplish in trade talks with the Trump administration as they once again restart. Trade negotiations have consistently been clouded in opaqueness in Ottawa, despite the government conceding that Canadians have expressed concern over a “perceived lack of transparency” in trade talks. Prime Minister...

Neil Moss

G7 summit wraps without reaching full consensus on Ukraine

The Group of Seven closed its leaders’ summit without coming to an agreement on support for Ukraine. The heads of the leading democratic economies came to the picturesque Rocky Mountain town of Kananaskis, Alta., for a two-day summit on June 16-17. Prior to the onset of the festivities, Canada decided against releasing a traditional joint communiqué, instead opting for a...

Neil Moss

‘These events are big challenges’: Carney faces tough road to G7 joint communiqué in Kananaksis

When United States President Donald Trump heads north of the border next week, Prime Minister Mark Carney will face a tough task getting to a consensus at the G7 summit with the unpredictable commander-in-chief. The last time Canada hosted the Group of Seven in 2018 in Charlevoix, Que., personal turmoil between then-prime minister Justin Trudeau and Trump overshadowed the summit.

Neil Moss

Bloc’s supply management bill passes House as U.S. anticipates dairy being a trade ‘discussion point’

For the third straight Parliament, the Bloc Québécois has tabled a bill to bar supply-management concessions in trade negotiations, as the United States indicates the protected industry is likely to be a “discussion point.” Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet (Beloeil-Chambly, Que.) tabled Bill C-202 in the House on May 29 and urged the Chamber to act expeditiously to pass the private...

Neil Moss

Peacekeeping not apace: feds’ spending plan for UN operations down 42 per cent from 2015-16

During the election campaign, Prime Minister Mark Carney and the Liberal Party vowed to support institutions like the United Nations that ensure global stability, but the Canadian foreign ministry’s spending plan shows Ottawa’s commitment to peacekeeping continues to flounder. It’s not just personnel that Canada is lacking in its commitment to UN peace operations, but also funding.

Neil Moss

‘We’re hurt, too’: U.S. envoy counters Canadians’ outrage over annexation threats

U.S. envoy Pete Hoekstra says he is 'not very sympathetic' to the pain Canadians feel over Trump's annexation threats as he looks to the future.United States President Donald Trump’s top diplomat in Ottawa says the hurt over the state of the bilateral relationship isn’t just being felt by Canadians. “We’re hurt, too,” Ambassador Pete Hoekstra told The Hill Times during...

Neil Moss

Access-to-info fiasco continues as DND says memo lost 52 months after request

DND blames the loss of the memo on 'poor information management practices' during the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the federal government’s most troubled access-to-information performers says it lost a memo nearly four-and-a-half years after it was first requested. The Department of National Defence (DND) has often been put in the spotlight for its poor adherence to the Access to Information...