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????  016: Mexico’s new energy reality

It’s been more than a month since Mexico’s recent federal elections. With the election of an incoming president Andrés Manuel López Obrador, or AMLO, we are now seeing announcements about the team he’ll bring to office with him. In this episode, we look at changes in Mexico and the incoming team on the issue of most interest to western Canada: the energy sector.  In Mexico City, we talk to Montserrat Ramiro, Comisión Reguladora de Energía

In Part II of this Mexico election 2018 special edition podcast, we’re partnering with Comexi to take a closer look at Canada’s distant, often forgotten neighbour, Mexico. See Part I, The forgotten neighbour, here.

Host:
Carlo Dadedirector, Trade & Investment Centre, Canada West Foundation

Guest:
Montserrat Ramiro, Comisión Reguladora de Energía

Episode 018: Coming soon

Episode 017: Coming soon

016: Mexico’s new energy reality
September 12, 2018

It’s been more than a month since Mexico’s recent federal elections. With the election of an incoming president Andrés Manuel López Obrador, or AMLO, we are now seeing announcements about the team he’ll bring to office with him. In this episode, we look at changes in Mexico and the incoming team on the issue of most interest to western Canada: the energy sector.

015: Making’ ‘peanut butter’ in Alberta
September 5, 2018

We produce a lot of oil here in Western Canada. Much more than we can use. So what do we do? We send it to whoever will give us the most money for it. But no one can seem to agree on the best way to maximize the value we get for this natural resource. When it comes to upgrading to a higher quality product, is Alberta selling itself short? In this episode, we’re downloading what everyone’s talking about on upgrading in Alberta.

014: The Forgotten Neighbour (Part I)
June 19, 2018

On July 1, Mexicans head to the polls to elect a new President and Congress. But here in Canada, where you’d be forgiven for thinking that NAFTA is a bilateral instead of trilateral negotiation, you’d hardly know it. In this Mexico election 2018 special edition podcast, we’re partnering with Comexi to take a closer look at Canada’s distant, often forgotten neighbour, Mexico.

013: Canada’s secret weapon on trade
June 5, 2018

From reopening NAFTA to America First and musing about implementing tariffs and border taxes, U.S. President Donald Trump has thrown out the rule book on trade, and with it, everything Canada was accustomed to in dealing with the U.S.
Canada’s best hope in dealing with changes in the U.S. isn’t Ottawa, it is on the ground between provinces and states.

012: Talking about talking about carbon taxes
May 17, 2018

What do people know about carbon taxes? What do they think about them? What is it like talking about them across the political divide? Host Nick Martin talks with Mark Cameron from Canadians for Clean Prosperity, former policy director for Prime Minister Harper and a conservative who supports putting a price on carbon. Then he sits down with Dale Beugin from the Ecofiscal Commission to talk about the public perceptions of carbon taxes. Meanwhile, What the West hits downtown Calgary with office pup Churchill to talk to everyday Calgarians about what they think about carbon taxes.

011: Come for the budgets, stay for the rap
April 26, 2018

Brace yourself – it’s budget season. Here in the West, which province actually balanced its books? Where is the debt-to-GDP ratio highest? Who is lighting up the ledgers with legal pot sales? And about that carbon tax… In this episode, we dive into the provincial budgets of B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. And, spoiler alert, there might be some Sir Mix-a-Lot involved.

 

010: Between two giants
April 10, 2018

China and the U.S. are diving deep in to a trade war, with no signs of turning back. As our two largest trading partners beat their chests at each other, where does that leave Canada? In this episode, Sarah Pittman sits down with two China experts to talk about Canada’s place between the two giants – and what Canada’s next move should be.

009: The one with a bobsled
February 22, 2018

Welcome to a special, Olympics-sized episode of What the West. In this episode, we fling ourselves headfirst into the debate over whether Calgary should bid for the 2026 Winter Games. And then, we fling ourselves down the bobsled track at Canada Olympic Park. Canada West Foundation….we have a bobsled team?

008: How not to freak out over NAFTA
February 20, 2018

In this episode, we dive into the turbulent world of NAFTA negotiations – and provide some guidance for small businesses wondering what happens next.

007: NEB: What is it good for?
February 2, 2018

Pipelines are controversial. In fact, it seems any type of infrastructure is controversial – especially in the energy world. From pipelines to wind turbines – nearly no one wants these things built near them and many people don’t want them built at all. At the same time, for many others these projects represent their livelihoods.

006: Above the tree line
January 16, 2018

Canada and the U.S. have been trading lumber since the 1800s – and fighting about it for just as long. In November last year, the U.S. Commerce Department slapped Canadian exporters of softwood lumber into the U.S. with permanent duties averaging 20%. The question is, will the latest round of U.S. duties force Canada to settle for a new softwood agreement with terms picked by the Americans? Or will American consumers protest the higher prices brought on by the duties, causing the U.S. to change course?

005: 8 for 2018
January 9, 2018

Welcome to 2018. The eggnog has gone stale, the trees have been composted or burned for warmth. And our thoughts can now turn to the future. Will this year be as tumultuous as 2017? Will North American trade cease? Does anyone really care about the Commonwealth games? Will Canada go see its tailor? Our research team has the answers to these questions and more in our look at the year ahead

004: When life gives you lentils
December 12, 2017

Plant ingredients are everywhere – your breakfast smoothie, makeup, the drugs you get from the pharmacy. They may even be in the diet food you feed your overweight pets. The protein, fibre and starch components from crops like lentils, peas and beans are a potential goldmine for the Prairies. But what do we need to do to make this happen? When life gives you lentils…

003: Is carbon pricing the end of the world?
November 28, 2017

Carbon pricing. Most economists think it’s the best way to reduce climate-change causing emissions. But it hasn’t exactly won over politicians to the same degree. Or the public for that matter. In Canada, the federal government has said every province must set a price on carbon. But Saskatchewan has vowed to fight it until the end. Manitoba went ahead with a price, but only after trying to avoid it. In Alberta, the opposition party promises to repeal the carbon levy, if elected, on Day 1.

002: The Trump Administration’s worldview on trade
November 14, 2017

After a rollercoaster APEC summit, where news on the Trans-Pacific Partnership felt at times more like a soap opera than trade talks, and a fifth round of NAFTA talks getting underway this week, Episode 002 of What the West? looks at the evolving Canada-U.S. trade relationship.

The Trump era’s winner takes all, America-First trade strategy is almost a return to the 1980s era – a time when the U.S. said “Jump,” and the rest of us said, “How high?”

001: Fixing Confederation
October 31, 2017

This year, Canada marked the 150th anniversary of Confederation, and we had a lot to celebrate.

But, Confederation hasn’t been a panacea.

We still don’t have trade between the provinces – you can’t even buy a beer on a trip and bring it home. The equalization debate is ugly. And don’t get us started on getting pipelines built.

So all these years later, is Confederation just unfinished? Or is it broken?

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