Reading Time: 3 minutes Brussels | Reuters — A court ruling early next year may help the European Union out of the kind of embarrassing situation it has just landed in, where a regional assembly in Belgium is blocking a major trade agreement between Canada and the 28 sovereign states of the EU. Belgian negotiators failed on Tuesday to […] Read more
Court may help EU sidestep lone-wolf resistance to trade deals
Revisions in the works for Canada’s Food Guide
Reading Time: 3 minutes Health Canada is planning changes to one of its key policy documents to reflect how Canadians’ diets are generally coming up short in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, milk and milk alternatives. At the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress in Montreal on Monday, the federal health department launched a 45-day public consultation on changes to Canada’s Food Guide, […] Read more
Belgian internal feud blocks EU-Canada trade deal
Reading Time: 3 minutes Brussels | Reuters — The European Union’s hopes of signing a landmark free trade deal with Canada this week appeared to evaporate on Monday as the Belgian federal government failed to win the consent of French-speaking regional authorities. European Council President Donald Tusk had given Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel until Monday, three days before […] Read more
Canada says up to EU to save free trade deal
Reading Time: 3 minutes Brussels | Reuters — Canada said on Saturday it was up to the European Union to save a free trade deal that could boost both economies but that cannot be signed as planned next week due to opposition from Belgium’s French-speaking region. The Walloon government was awaiting new proposals from the European Commission, according to […] Read more
Canada walks out of trade talks with ‘incapable’ EU
Reading Time: 3 minutes Brussels | Reuters — Canada’s trade minister walked out of talks in Belgium on Friday, declaring that the European Union was incapable of sealing a planned transatlantic free trade deal designed to boost growth in both economies. All 28 EU governments support the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), but Belgium cannot give assent without […] Read more
Belgian region sticks to firm ‘Non’ on CETA
Reading Time: 2 minutes Brussels | Reuters — The Belgian region of Wallonia rejected new amendments to a planned EU-Canada free trade agreement on Thursday, reaffirming its opposition and so threatening the entire deal, a flagship of European Union trade policy. All 28 EU governments support the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), but Belgium cannot give assent without […] Read more
Belgian region wants more time to fix CETA
Reading Time: 2 minutes Brussels/Ottawa | Reuters — The premier of the Belgian region that is the main impediment to a planned EU-Canada free trade agreement on Wednesday advised postponing a summit next week to sign the deal and taking a few more months to fix outstanding issues. Walloon’s Paul Magnette spoke as pressure mounted on him to drop […] Read more
Belgian ‘Non’ blocks EU approval of CETA
Reading Time: 3 minutes Luxembourg | Reuters — EU governments failed on Tuesday to approve a free trade agreement with Canada, as continued opposition from French-speaking southern Belgium threatened the entire deal. Almost all 28 EU governments, whose ministers were meeting in Luxembourg, now back the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which would be the bloc’s first trade […] Read more
Tyson invests in non-meat protein
Reading Time: < 1 minute Reuters — Tyson Foods, the largest U.S. meat processor, took a five per cent stake in plant-based protein maker Beyond Meat amid growing pressure on food companies to reduce environmental and health risks by changing the way they source protein. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Manhattan Beach, Calif.-based Beyond Meat sells plant-based burger […] Read more
Hasta la vista, meat; more pulses needed to feed hungry world
Call to reduce world meat consumption could benefit Canada's pulse growers
Reading Time: 5 minutes Everyone from university professors to investment bankers and even Arnold Schwarzenegger are adding their voices to calls for reducing world meat consumption, in favour of a greater focus on plant-based proteins. As that sentiment mounts, it could bode well for Canada’s pea and lentil growers. A group of investors representing US$1.25 trillion in assets is […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
