And the Rest of It

If Trump really wanted to punish China then he shouldn't let up:

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that a trade deal with Chinese President Xi Jinping was possible this weekend, but that he is prepared to impose U.S. tariffs on virtually all remaining Chinese imports if the two countries continue to disagree.

Trump, who departed for the G20 leaders summit in Osaka the same day, also raised the possibility that he may impose a lower, 10 percent duty on a $300 billion list of Chinese imports, instead of the currently proposed 25 percent rate.

Trump is expected to meet with Xi on Saturday, to hold a conversation that could revive stalled negotiations between the world’s two biggest economies or launch a much deeper, costlier trade war that would drag down global growth and roil financial markets.

“It’s absolutely possible. … We have to get a good deal,” Trump said in an interview with Fox Business Network. “It’s possible that we’ll make a deal, but I’m also very happy where we are now.”

Where is the love, Mexico?:

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador pushed backed on Thursday against Canadian concerns that gas pipeline contracts awarded under his predecessor might not be honored, saying the terms of the agreements were “abusive” toward the state. 


Mexican state power utility CFE said this week it would negotiate a more fair resolution to contractual disputes over several pipelines being built by companies including Mexico’s IEnova (IENOVA.MX) and Canada’s TC Energy (TRP.TO). 

The Canadian ambassador to Mexico, Pierre Alarie, wrote on Twitter on Wednesday that the Mexican government appears “not to wish to respect natural gas pipeline contracts,” and said he was deeply concerned about the signal being sent.

It is the height of hubris (and ineffective in summer) to assume that people will drop everything to support one of the most generously compensated professions in the country, especially when that profession does not produce results:

The message that Ford and Scheer are soulmates will resonate even more strongly in the event of a teacher strike.

A contract for the province’s teachers and education workers expires on August 31. While not yet in a strike position over larger class-sizes, a compensation cap and job losses, union leaders say the provincial government needs to display a “significant change of heart” or face labour action.

That would be a disaster for Scheer’s Conservatives. Voters angry at having to arrange care for kids still home after Labour Day could ruin any prospect of him making major gains in Canada’s largest province.

Those sorts of threats don't make people love you, teachers' unions.