Canada's Trading Regime
Canada, by necessity, facilitates one of the most liberal trading environments in the world. Although an ardent supporter of the World Trade Organization (the “WTO”), recently, as the Doha Round of negotiations at the WTO have faltered, Canada has pursued an ambitious strategy to expand its network of bilateral and regional trade agreements. Thus, Canada offers an ever expanding positive trading environment, presenting market access and other trade liberalizing opportunities that can be exploited. However, certain obligations undertaken in various trade agreements also place limits on the laws and regulations governing not only Canada’s trading regime, but also many domestic laws and regulations.
Additional posts from the blog
May
10
New Bill Heightens Potential for More Investment Canada Reviews of SOE Acquisitions
Last week the Canadian Government introduced amendments to the Investment Canada Act (ICA) to implement its revised policy towards state-owned enterprises (SOEs) which it announced in December last year. At that time, while it approved the acquisition by Chinese SOE, CNOOC, of Canadian oil and gas company, Nexen, the Government announced its intention to prohibit acquisitions of control of Canadian oil sands businesses by SOEs except on an exceptional basis.
Apr
26
Presentation: Estate Planning for the Business Owner
In this presentation, Dentons' Doris Bonora and Cheryl Gibson describe the important considerations for business owners regarding estate planning.
Apr
17
No Class Action This Time: Federal Court of Appeal Upholds Arbitration Agreement
The complicated interplay between holding parties to an arbitration agreement and upholding the purpose and intent of legislation concerned with public order is not new in Canada. In 2011 the Supreme Court of Canada decided Seidel v Telus Communications Inc, in which the court refused to enforce an arbitration agreement at the expense of a class action proceeding. Seidel concerned the British Columbia Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act.
