Today’s comments were selected from one of our most read pieces on the new NAFTA deal: Chrystia Freeland, warrior princess by Margaret Wente. In the following comments, readers debate the merits of Freeland’s negotiating efforts.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland hold a press conference at the National Press Theatre in Ottawa on Monday, Oct. 1, 2018., regarding the United States Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA). THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean KilpatrickSean Kilpatrick/The Globe and Mail
While she admittedly made a few perhaps impolitic comments during the negotiations I was very pleased that the smart and articulate Chrystia Freeland was leading our negotiating team.
Margaret Wente says “...Ms. Freeland has deplored just about everything Mr. Trump stands for. ” That is understandable in the circumstances and would be supported, openly or covertly, by most Canadians and I daresay the majority of Americans.
Of course there will be many who will compare the outcome to some mythic unknown of what “could have been” had “they” or “someone” (fill in the blank, preferably with a man) been in Ms. Freeland’s position, but that is just the usual carping from the peanut gallery. Maybe the fact that Lighthizer and Trump didn’t like the unflinching Freeland was a huge plus rather than a negative — who knows? All I know is that I was pleased to have her as head of our multi-party team and am generally pleased with the outcome. Thanks to everyone on that team! - Mossback
Considering the unpredictable nature of her opponents I think a little unpredictability on ms. Freeland’s part was wholly welcome. Anything to unsettle the opponent. I think our negotiating team did a excellent job overall. I am very pleased. While we they may gripe, I think dairy farmers knew the writing was on the wall, and they really have given up very little. - Concerned in NS
I think she was a very bad choice for her role. Her experience is as a reporter and she is educated as a PhD in Russian history. Contrast that profile with her opposite, Robert Lighthizer, a career trade negotiator. When I look at the result of the negotiation, cutting through the Trudeau spin, I would say Canada gave up far too much on the deal. You get what you pay for. Canada certainly sent the wrong person. - Geoff Barratt
Well said, Margaret. Overall, she did a great job for her country, and I'm sure the PM is happy she's in his government. On this, I really believed Canada dodged a bullet that could have done a lot of damage. - Gary W Moore
Trump got the better of the deal and yet arranged it so that Trudeau and Freeland can declare victory. Brilliant - William Lyon MacKenzie1
This whole NAFTA or USCAM thing could have been much worse. The fact that Ms. Freeland was a thorn in the US side is quite delicious. - albeaumont1
Let's not get carried away here. The heavy lifting in these negotiations was done at the sub-ministerial level. Nonetheless, Ms. Freeland is an impressive woman and I am proud of the way she represented this country. - Mack54
Chrystia Freeland made me proud to be a Canadian. Faced with insults and lies she was always measured and upbeat. I believe the unusual circumstances of this trade negotiation required her to regularly soothe the nerves of Canadians who would not have had the same worries about negotiating with any civilized partner. I too hope she's the next PM and I'm not alone. - edgggie
People who have not negotiated don’t seem to understand that when a party goes into a negotiation, especially holding a weak hand as was the case for Canada, you need to pad the ‘ask’ with a much larger range of ‘wants’ so you have somethings to discard along the way for the sake of progress. Much of the social elements at the beginning were to do exactly that and at the same time flag the differential in values between government values vs. Trump values. It was a good move from that perspective. - History Hunter
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