I need to learn about NAFTA ASAP

Shiite!

I applied for a job that was posted at the school that I was drastically underqualified for. I didn't lie about my qualifications at all - they want knowledge of NAFTA and experience using AS400 and I don't have either - but the HR lady called to "ask me a few questions." Thankfully I didn't get to the phone in time!

SO...I need to do as much research as possible before tomorrow morning when I call her back. I have an exam tonight and I am moving tomorrow.

HELP! Can someone direct me to some useful sources that will give me a nice summary of NAFTA policies and won't overload me with info? And AS400 too, whatever that is?

S. <--- freakin!

 

If your in biz school, there should be a few texts on NAFTA. I know I used one for one of my trade course.

No idea what an AS400 is.

 

AS400 is a computer software program. Like JD Edwards, SAP...etc

 

AS400 is the software that runs an IBM server

 

Damn you beat me to it

 

argh good luck with that.
I cant help you at all.

 

Go figure, the business library is closed since exams finished 2 weeks ago. Apparently no one ever needs to do research outside of Sept-April!

Paul said he's used AS400 before and it's not difficult to learn. Good thing is it's listed in the description as a "nice to have" and not "need to have."

 

What kind of job you applied for might be important in determine what aspect of NAFTA you need to know. Unless it's a law firm you probably just need to know the basics.

 

go to Weldon. its open in the summer and has lots of stuff you could use. all the poli-sci books are there.
heres some basics to start:

http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/nafta-alena/menu-en.asp

http://www.policy.ca/report.php3

 

i'm not sure if the Law Library is open during the summer, but theres a book called North American free trade : issues and recommendations by Gary Clyde Hufbauer and Jeffrey J. Schott.

it could probably help. call #HF3211.H84 1992

granted, its from 1992 so its probably a little outdated!

 

No it's not, you turkey. An AS/400 is an IBM midrange (halfway between a PC and a mainframe). It's got a pretty extensive native software package and OS written for it, but you can run all sorts of shit on it.

It's a bit archaic, but it's VERY widely used cause it's cheap, easier to use then other host solutions.

 

I can give you the Disco Stu summary of NAFTA
All what you need to know about it is that moving jobs to Mexico to increase profit is key!

 

It's a purchasing position for a plastics manufacturing company...in Scarborough!

I'm assuming they source from outside of Canadian borders...and I'd have to know all the ins and outs of NAFTA, as the position is the SOLE purchasing agent of the entire company. Why they would want a grad to be incharge of all their materials, I'm not sure!

 

Trump team plays hardball in NAFTA talks with Buy America demands

The Buy American demands put forth by Donald Trump’s trade team are being described by one Canadian insider as the “worst proposal in any trade agreement” that’s ever been presented. The pitch, which came at North American free-trade agreement talks in Ottawa, would hinder Canadian companies’ ability to bid on U.S. government-funded infrastructure projects. And a big beneficiary of the U.S. proposal would be oil-rich Bahrain. Sources said the Persian Gulf country would have better access to bid on projects in the U.S. than Canda.

 

The only options for Canada are shitty ones.

I know it's counterintuitive when it's fashionable to see all trade agreements as instruments of globalist dominion, but in our case it has basically stabilized an often volatile trading relationship with the states, tied them down so to speak and opened apertures to us in their economy that had been closed to us for decades.

So from an American perspective, they are out to extract more value, close those apertures, remove constriction they don't like.

And they're threatening to nuke the whole thing unless we give them something. They probably don't understand what that really means, but it puts us in a position, vs the status quo, to decide what economic pain we want to take now to retain at least some of the benefits Canadian negotiators worked hard for over many years.

For Canada, every option will be a different degree of bad.

 

The bright side here is that people might start to pay attention to these trade deals.

 

Ex-PM Brian Mulroney will testify on NAFTA in front of a U.S. Senate committee


Mulroney, who was in power during the original North American free-trade agreement talks, is expected to give a powerful defence of the treaty when he addresses the foreign relations committee next week.


Meanwhile, the sixth round of NAFTA talks kicks off in Montreal today. As worries grow over the fate of the agreement, Ottawa is now signalling its willingness to make concessions as a show of good faith. For example, Canada is hoping to hammer out a compromise with the United States and Mexico on a key provision that allows corporations to sue governments in front of special tribunals.


And Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is in Davos, Switzerland, this week to attend the World Economic Forum, where he's seeking to play down NAFTA fears in an effort to attract investment.

 

That's the only thing we can look forward to in this round of NAFTA talks, what concessions are we going to give - how much worse a deal are we willing to accept to save serious disruption to key parts of our economy?

This means giving the Americans stuff they want and giving up on stuff we wanted

 

It'll be interesting to see what is deemed a Win Win Win because without that, we're heading towards a trade war and internal political pressure from Business against the Can/US governments.

 

I don't see a win win win permutation

This should be lose lose lose, but there's a chance it could be win lose lose if America can successfully bully Canada and Mexico, push enough but not so much the whole thing goes up in flames.

 

Some golden nuggets in this one:

http://www.cbc.ca/1.4533542

"The ongoing effort to rescue and revamp NAFTA has made only limited progress because U.S. officials at the table find themselves hamstrung by the demands of the Trump White House and the talks are taking place too quickly, Canada's chief negotiator says.

Tuesday's hard-hitting and sobering update from Steve Verheul came on the same day that U.S. trade czar Robert Lighthizer took another shot at Canada by suggesting more progress on the continental trade pact was being made with Mexico.

Verheul described the current NAFTA talks as the most unusual negotiation he's ever been involved in.

"They do not come to the table — our counterparts — with a lot of flexibility. This is being driven to a large extent from the top, from the administration, and there's not a lot of flexibility," the veteran negotiator told the Canadian Global Affairs Institute.
...
The U.S. has proposed limiting Canada and Mexico to one dollar of contracts for every dollar in contracts granted by Canada and Mexico to American companies, an idea Canada and Mexico alike have branded a non-starter.

That "is the worst offer ever made by the U.S. in any trade negotiation," Verheul said.

"(It) would leave us in a position where the country of Bahrain would have far better access to U.S. procurement markets than Canada would, or that Mexico would, and we've clearly said this kind of offer is not possible."
...
Earlier this week, Trump complained about Canadian trade practices and threatened an undefined international tax, reviving fears of new American import penalties — a fear the White House has since played down.

Canada has no position on that because it is not clear what Trump is talking about, Verheul said."

 

CAD and NAFTA: Left Out in the Cold?
August 27, 2018





What Happened?



– The US and Mexico have agreed to a bi-lateral trade deal, and the ‘NAFTA’ name has been scrapped. The CAD is up on sentiment for now, but there’s still plenty of concern ahead.



So Why Has the CAD Rallied?

– In the short-term, a deal is a much better than no deal. That’s the main reason why the risk premium attached to the MXN and CAD has been reduced today.



– Going strictly by what’s known – the reduction in the MXN premium makes much more sense as it appears that the market is still attaching some hope that Canada will agree to the new deal.



– However, there is still significant risk that Canada gets left out in the cold. That risk increases substantially if the Trudeau government digs in and decide that the new agreement does not suit them. There will have to be some give on the Canadian side when it comes to ‘line-in-sand’ issues such as Chapter 19 or the ‘Buy American’ provision.



What Happens Next?



– Canada will re-join negotiations with a weaker hand. The US will want a handshake agreement in place by this Friday (most likely) so that it can take either a new deal (bi-lateral or tri-lateral) to Congress to begin public consultations. The idea is to get this done before Mexican President Pena Nieto leaves office in early December.



Markets/Implications



– If Canada is left out – that’s CAD bearish. Full stop.



– No deal implies that we’re looking at a scenario where auto tariffs from the US come into play and domestic investment is likely to slow. At the very least, that pushes out Bank of Canada rate hikes to a degree. This isn’t our base case scenario as we do envision that Canada will come to terms with the US/Mexico.



– For markets: The deal or no deal play is what matters for Canada and the CAD this week. Markets are already pricing a deal so the risk has become asymmetric towards a no-deal scenario. If you’re concerned about the CAD - keep that in mind and worry about the details later

 

Divide and conquer! Looks like these guys have priced in Trudeau folding and making some sort of deal.

 

I took a different take: Don't jump to any conclusions.