Neil Moss

Neil Moss

Trade talks more opaque after Canada’s foreign ministry cuts live briefings in wake of media leaks

The Liberal government has consistently trumpeted a commitment to transparency in trade negotiations, but Canada’s foreign ministry ended verbal briefings to stakeholders on the status of trade talks to “better control” information after leaks to media. The Hill Times previously obtained information from briefings on negotiations regarding trade talks with Indonesia, India, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)...

Neil Moss

Canada ‘isolated’ as most nations rebuff retaliatory tariffs on America, says former CUSMA negotiator

Canada’s past chief negotiator for the new NAFTA says the country finds itself alone as one of the few globally to have used counter measures against American tariffs. Retaliatory tariffs on some American auto exports went into force on April 9. Canada has imposed a series of counter tariffs to respond to U.S. levies on autos and steel and aluminum...

Neil Moss

Tariffs ‘still devastating’ despite ‘reciprocal’ reprieve, says Senator on Canada-U.S. council

Canadians breathed a sigh of relief as the country was spared from United States President Donald Trump’s “reciprocal” tariff announcement, but it is cold comfort with auto tariffs being enacted as the list of American levies imposed on Canada continues to grow.

Neil Moss

‘Completely unpredictable’: will Trump’s words upend Canada’s vote?

So far, the Canadian campaign has had little encroachment from United States President Donald Trump—who has taken an uncharacteristically restrained approach to his northern neighbour since the election kicked off—but the unpredictable commander-in-chief has ample time before the April 28 vote to upset the proceedings.

Neil Moss

Defence pledges have unprecedented electoral spotlight, but more ambition may be needed to match allies: experts

Amid annexation threats from United States President Donald Trump, Canada’s major national parties have put a spotlight on defence pledges in the early days of the election campaign, but questions loom as to whether the commitments are sufficient to match the burgeoning peril. Prime Minister Mark Carney, running for a seat in Nepean, Ont., has remarked that Canada’s sovereignty faces...

Neil Moss

Italy’s top diplomat says ‘not my job’ to condemn Trump’s annexation threats as Germany takes tougher stand

G7 foreign ministers were reluctant to directly condemn U.S. President Donald Trump over his threats to annex Canada.

Neil Moss

G7 foreign ministers avoid explicit support for Canada as Trump doubles down

Who will stand with Canada? That was the key question as the G7 top diplomats gathered for a second day in Quebec’s resort region of Charlevoix, Que. A show of support was seen through a maple leaf pin and a social media post, but an unequivocal statement in defence of Canada didn’t come. The G7 foreign ministers’ meeting is taking...

Neil Moss

G7 top diplomats open three-day meeting with all eyes on U.S. as trade war deepens

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says threats to Canadian sovereignty won't be a topic of discussion at the G7 foreign ministers' meeting.

Neil Moss

NDP proposal to exclude Trump from June summit risks injuring G7, say former diplomats

Disinviting United States President Donald Trump from the June G7 summit in Alberta could exacerbate Canada-U.S. discord as diplomacy is preferable to virtue signalling, say former diplomats.NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh (Burnaby South, B.C.) pitched the idea for disinviting Trump during a Feb. 26 foreign policy speech in Montreal.

Neil Moss

‘Alarming’ U.S. pivot on Ukraine showcases unreliability of Trump White House, say parliamentarians

Canadian parliamentarians say that Ukraine must be able to decide its own fate as the American government is increasingly viewed as an untrustworthy partner in support of the country in the war against Russia. The United States held a first round of peace talks with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 18 without Ukrainian representatives present, while excluded European...

Neil Moss

‘We can’t take their word’: U.S. ignoring 2019 deal to guide return of steel and aluminum tariffs

An agreement that sets out how levies can be reintroduced on steel and aluminum exports is being cast aside, adding to the growing number of trade commitments that United States President Donald Trump negotiated and is subsequently eschewing.

Neil Moss

USAID chaos reveals crossroad for Canada’s foreign-aid funding

Foreign aid stakeholders and experts are urging Canada to fill the gaps being created by the United States halting global financial support, but questions loom over whether Ottawa’s commitment to international assistance is also tailing off.

Neil Moss

‘Divide and conquer’: Canada and Mexico offer unco-ordinated tariff response after premiers’ slights

'What we did to Mexico was almost Trumpian in the way we threw them under the bus,' says Carlo Dade, a member of the Mexican Council on Foreign Relations. As Canada and Mexico gained a momentary reprieve from United States President Donald Trump’s planned tariffs, a lack of co-ordination between the two nations reveals mistrust in the relationship, say observers...

Neil Moss

Breaking historic hurdle to trade diversification necessary amid U.S. threats, say trade experts

Trade diversification is once again in the spotlight as Canada faces the risk of calamitous economic damage threatened by United States President Donald Trump. Throughout Canada’s history, many have called for the country to reduce its reliance on the American market. But in the face of diversification efforts, Canada’s exports to the U.S. have consistently represented three-quarters of its total...

Neil Moss

Hosting G7 summit will be first global test for a new prime minister

Canada’s G7 presidency is underway, and it could face the reality of entering the Leaders’ Summit in the summer with a recently elected prime minister, transitioning from the most-seasoned G7 head to the greenest. With Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s (Papineau, Que.) looming departure, Canada will have a new face at the G7 table for the first time since 2015—whether it...

Neil Moss

Israel happy to wait for potential Conservative government, says former Canadian envoy

'I do hope that some of the policies will change, and the sooner the better,' Israeli Ambassador to Canada Iddo Moed says of Ottawa's approach to his country.

Neil Moss

Liberals break pledge to table forced labour bill in 2024

The Liberal government failed to meet a pledge—outlined in successive budgets—to table legislation to strengthen Canada’s forced labour import ban, and eradicate forced labour from its supply chains in 2024. In the fall economic statement tabled on Dec. 16, the federal government signalled its “intent” to introduce legislative amendments to strengthen Canada’s ban on imports made through forced labour, and...

Neil Moss

‘He’s let it go too long’: wait builds for a Poilievre visit south of the border

Whether as prime minister or as opposition leader, it's important for Pierre Poilievre to be familiar with the incoming Trump administration, says former diplomat Deanna Horton. It is time for Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre to travel south of the border to build links with the incoming Trump administration and a new Congress, says the head of a Washington, D.C.-based think...

Neil Moss

‘Permanent campaign’ of building Canadian links on Capitol Hill begins anew

With the United States’ 119th Congress set to convene in the new year, the Canada-U.S. Inter-Parliamentary Group will be D.C.-bound to build Canadian connections on Capitol Hill. While outreach with U.S. president-elect Donald Trump dominates the headlines—forcing reporters to track Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s (Papineau, Que.) plane as it made its unannounced way to Florida for a dinner meeting at...

Irem Koca, Neil Moss

Japan not taking part in procurement bid for Canadian Navy’s new subs

One of the two in-service submarine designs being considered as among the faster options to replace the Canadian Navy’s fleet will not be offered to Canada, according to multiple sources. Japan was the only country, except for South Korea, where an in-service design was offered, which would be ready for deployment sooner than others—a requirement considered critical by some defence...

Neil Moss, Ian Campbell

Trump return to White House will test ‘rocky’ relationship with Trudeau

President-elect Donald Trump is someone who ‘carries a grudge,’ but Trudeau must find a way to ‘make the relationship work,’ say observers.

Neil Moss

Canada braces for trade shocks as Trump wins second presidential term

In a historic comeback, Donald Trump returns for a second term as president leading the polarized nation. To prepare for his potential return, the prime minister announced in January a plan to relaunch the 'Team Canada' outreach to safeguard the Canada-U.S. relationship.

Neil Moss

Doubt grows that feds’ promise to boost forced labour ban will materialize as House committee deplores ‘inaction’

The Liberal inaction on a budget pledge to strengthen the forced labour import ban is “deplorable,” according to members of a House committee. In the 2023 budget, the government promised to introduce legislation by 2024 to “eradicate forced labour from Canadian supply chains to strengthen the import ban on goods produced using forced labour.” The 2024 budget stated that the...

Neil Moss

DND access-to-info woes persist as compliance with law drops, backlog grows

Compliance by the Department of National Defence with the Access to Information Act decreased in the last fiscal year as its backlog of active requests beyond its legislated timeline grew by more than 15 per cent, according to a recent report tabled in Parliament. That came during the same reporting period when Defence Minister Bill Blair (Scarborough Southwest, Ont.) told...

Neil Moss

After long wait, House finally sends parliamentary delegation to Ukraine

Prior to House Speaker Greg Fergus leading a delegation to Ukraine in October, House-sanctioned travel to the war-torn nation had been quashed due to security concerns and partisan gamesmanship. After two years of MPs pushing to send a parliamentary delegation to Ukraine, House Speaker Greg Fergus finally led an all-party visit to the war-torn country in October.

Neil Moss

Concern mounts over how immigration cuts will hit slow-moving program for Sudanese war refugees

With Canada moving to cut the number of migrants it accepts in the coming years, some advocates are worried previously promised spots for those fleeing the Sudanese civil war will be at risk.

Neil Moss

‘Extremely strained’ Canada-India diplomatic ties unlikely to improve under Trudeau government, says analyst

After another round of tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions, the Canada-India diplomatic relationship “virtually has collapsed,” say foreign policy observers, with little room for improvement amid Indian officials’ alleged involvement in “widespread violence” on Canadian soil.

Neil Moss

A new age for Canada-Saudi relations? Human rights concerns passed over for economic links

The federal government welcomed a Saudi minister’s high-level visit with open arms last week, which observers say is a sign of the changing tide in how Ottawa is approaching Riyadh. Sixteen months ago, Canada and Saudi Arabia restored relations and placed ambassadors in each other’s respective capitals after a high-profile diplomatic spat in 2018 over Canadian social media posts raising...

Neil Moss

Canada can’t afford to squander chance for rare Indo-Pacific role with AUKUS, say analysts

Three years after the Liberal government was pilloried for its absence from the security union formed by the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia, the country’s recent inclusion in consultations with the joint bloc shows Canada isn’t being left behind, say observers. The group, commonly known as AUKUS, noted in a Sept. 17 joint release that it is consulting with...

Neil Moss

Plan to bring 10,000 Uyghur refugees to Canada off to slow start, says advocacy group

Progress has been slow on a new program to resettle Uyghur refugees in Canada as an advocacy group says none have yet to arrive after nine months. In February 2023, the House of Commons unanimously agreed to call on the government to “urgently leverage” Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) refugee and humanitarian resettlement program to “expedite” 10,000 Uyghurs and...

Neil Moss

GAC’s ability to perform essential duties, sustain foreign presence threatened by financial crunch: memo

As billions of dollars get invested in Canada's defence, Ottawa's other international apparatus is being left behind, say current and former diplomats.

Neil Moss

Another round of consultations on Canada’s Africa ‘approach’ extends two-year wait for rethink

The delay for the federal government’s African policy revamp continues to grow, with another round of public consultations recently launched as experts and advocates lament the continued wait for the new plan. More than two years ago, the Liberal government revealed it was developing a “foreign policy strategy” for engaging Africa, but within a year that plan was downgraded to...

Neil Moss

Canada’s next submarine fleet likely to be foreign built as Navy faces timeline crunch, say defence experts

With just over a decade left until the Canadian Navy needs new submarines, a lack of domestic capacity means the replacement for the Victoria-class warships will almost certainly be an off-the-shelf foreign build, say defence experts. In July, Defence Minister Bill Blair (Scarborough Southwest, Ont.) announced that Canada would be purchasing “up to” 12 submarines to replace its current fleet...

Neil Moss

Another privilege battle brewing as feds refuse to give House unredacted green fund docs

The House of Commons’ top lawyer is sounding an alarm as scores of governmental departments and agencies failed to turn over unredacted documents concerning communications about a now-shuttered clean-technology fund despite being ordered to do so by the Chamber. In a July 17 letter to House Speaker Greg Fergus (Hull–Aylmer, Que.), House of Commons law clerk and parliamentary counsel Michel...

Neil Moss

Bloc accuses feds of backing TC Energy dispute at the expense of mounting defence against Ruby River claim

With the legal saga over the scrapped Keystone XL pipeline hitting a roadblock, the Bloc Québécois says Canada prioritized recouping private investments over advancing an adequate defence for the cancellation of another natural resources project in Quebec. Bloc Québécois MP Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay (Saint-Hyacinthe–Bagot, Que.), his party’s trade critic, said the federal government hasn’t properly defended a claim over a liquefied...

Neil Moss

Canada downplays cost of meeting NATO spending mark as $60-billion projection will need to rise

Although the Liberal government has placed an annual price tag of $60-billion on its commitment to spend two per cent of Canada’s GDP on defence by 2032, unless a boost is on the way, it will still likely fall short when the goalposts funds needed to reach the NATO-sanctioned metric shift. Canada is unlikely to meet the spending standard first...

Neil Moss

GAC downgrades chief legal adviser role despite global focus on international law

As the federal government declares its support for international law, it is downgrading the top lawyer in the foreign ministry, drawing consternation from former members of the department’s legal bureau. Global Affairs Canada (GAC) reclassified its legal adviser post from an assistant deputy minister-level position to that of a director general as part of broader departmental reorganization effort. The legal...

Neil Moss

Chinese envoy says Beijing won’t change approach to next Canadian election, denying foreign interference charges

With Beijing under the microscope over allegations of government meddling in Canadian elections, its top diplomat in Ottawa is continuing China’s refutation of foreign interference claims, saying there will be no change in how his nation approaches the next federal vote in this country. Wang Di is China’s newest ambassador to Ottawa, replacing Cong Peiwu who became Beijing’s envoy in...

Neil Moss

Deadly Hurricane Beryl a stark reminder of the need to confront climate change, says Saint Kitts and Nevis envoy

After Hurricane Beryl brought devastation when it reached landfall in the Eastern Caribbean, the lone high commissioner for the region in Ottawa is sounding an alarm, spotlighting the real-world effect of climate change and the work that needs to be done to rebuild ravaged areas.

Neil Moss

MPs sound alarm over threat of losing ‘invaluable’ tool for fiscal oversight

As billions of dollars of government spending went without committee scrutiny, some MPs are raising concern that they might soon lose a helpful tool for the House Public Accounts Committee to perform fiscal oversight on federal expenditures. MPs on the committee have been receiving annual in-camera briefings put on by the Canadian Audit and Accountability Foundation (CAAF) to train them...

Neil Moss

Info watchdog, Defence Minister Blair keep clashing in court cases over access law compliance

Defence Minister Bill Blair is asking the courts to quash two information commissioner orders against Canada’s cyber spy agency to release records that are now nearly a year late. The commissioner is also before the federal bench demanding the top defence official comply with orders against the Department of National Defence in a pattern of organizations under his purview resisting...

Neil Moss

Ten parliamentary committees forgo scrutiny of $25-billion in spending estimates

Nine House committees, plus a joint House and Senate committee, eschewed reviews of $25.4-billion in planned governmental spending, leaving more than 13 per cent of voted spending estimates without committee scrutiny. The main estimates for 2024-25, which set out the government’s spending plans for the fiscal year, were tabled on Feb. 29 and referred to the 24 relevant House standing...

Neil Moss

‘An eroding democracy’: Canada faces difficult dilemma with prospect of convicted Trump in the White House

With Donald Trump becoming the first president in American history to have been criminally convicted, the Canadian government will have to manage the potential of a felon returning to power, as one expert warns that Canada will have to confront a weakening democracy south of the border.

Neil Moss

‘We believe in international law, or we don’t’: South African envoy counters claims of moral equivalence in ICC warrant applications

As the Canadian government rejects any equivalence between Israeli and Hamas leaders after the International Criminal Court prosecutor applied for arrest warrants, South Africa’s top diplomat in Canada says the equivalence is in the breach of international law, not who is doing it.

Neil Moss

House Canada-China Committee looking to interrogate officials and parliamentarians who visited China

With a spate of Canadian officials and parliamentarians starting to re-engage with Beijing, MPs on the Special House Committee on the Canada-China Relationship are looking to hear from them. During a May 6 meeting, the committee agreed to invite Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault (Laurier–Sainte-Marie, Que.), Foreign Affairs deputy minister David Morrison, Canadian Ambassador to China Jennifer May, as well as...

Neil Moss

Canada’s pledged forced labour bill should follow U.S. example banning Xinjiang imports, says Uyghur advocate

As the federal government renews a budget pledge to bring forward legislation to stamp out forced labour from Canada’s supply chains and toughen its ban on imports made through servitude, a Uyghur advocate hopes the government will model its bill after the American approach.

Neil Moss

Liberal government faces test defending royal prerogative as opposition MPs vie for say in Canada’s foreign policy

While Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said 'we cannot change foreign policy based on an opposition motion,' she also noted that the amended and non-binding NDP motion on the war in Gaza is a 'real thing,' and 'that this is clearly the intent of this government, to make sure we follow what is written in this motion.'...

Neil Moss

Canada has been concerned with a lack of diplomatic access in China amid turbulent ties

Amid its continued rocky relationship with Beijing, the federal government has been concerned with the lack of diplomatic access that is granted to Canada’s envoy in China. That concern was highlighted in a briefing note—released under the Access to Information Act—for deputy minister of foreign affairs David Morrison ahead of a luncheon with Chinese Ambassador to Canada Cong Peiwu last...

Neil Moss

Will Mr. Poilievre go to Washington? Former diplomats hope so

With the Conservatives enjoying a commanding lead in the polls, observers of the Canada-United States relationship are calling for Tory Leader Pierre Poilievre to take a traditional trip south to meet with American officials and insert himself in the Ottawa-Washington relationship. Opposition leaders have frequently taken the jaunt to Washington, D.C., to hold meetings with White House officials and members...

Neil Moss

‘Absolutely the wrong direction’: feds respond to calls for more money for foreign ministry with budget cuts

Amid mounting calls for more investment in Canada’s foreign ministry, including from Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, the department will face growing cuts in the coming years. The reductions were revealed alongside the tabling of the government’s main estimates for 2024-25, with Global Affairs Canada (GAC) tapped for mounting spending reductions over the next three fiscal years: $118-million in 2024-25...

Neil Moss

‘Flexing some legal muscle’: info watchdog takes Blair to court as DND eschews access law

In response to access-to-information stonewalling by Canada’s defence establishment, Parliament’s freedom of information watchdog is asking the Federal Court to compel the Department of National Defence to follow the law.Information Commissioner Caroline Maynard submitted two new applications to the Federal Court on Feb. 20, on the heels of one from Dec. 18, 2023.

Neil Moss

Some foreign envoys voice ‘frustration’ over access in Ottawa as others downplay concerns

With long response times for messages, and difficulty in securing meetings, some foreign ambassadors are raising concerns over access to key Canadian cabinet ministers. But while some members of Ottawa’s diplomatic community are increasingly worried about being left out, others insist Canada isn’t out of step with other capitals. During a Feb. 7 meeting of the House Foreign Affairs Committee...

Neil Moss, Stephen Jeffery

Taiwanese envoy warns against banning MPs’ sponsored travel, but former Harper-era minister Kent says MPs should not accept ‘large gifts’

Taiwan’s top diplomat in Canada says he is worried about the effect that a proposed end to sponsored travel will have on Canada’s relationship with his island nation, remarking it would be a “big loss.” The practice of organizations funding MPs’ travel could soon be under review, after the House Ethics Committee asked the committees responsible for the members’ code...

Neil Moss

Renewed ‘Team Canada’ effort in the U.S. needs to take advantage of parliamentary links on Capitol Hill, says former Grit MP Easter

With a looming presidential election south of the 49th parallel, “Team Canada” outreach efforts are set to begin anew, and some are hoping for the Liberal government to take greater advantage of links built by Canadian Parliamentarians on Capitol Hill. The United States’ presidential election is in full swing, with former Republican president Donald Trump having won the early Iowa...

Neil Moss

Trudeau nears record high for political diplomatic appointments as Bennett goes to Denmark

With the appointment of Carolyn Bennett as Canada’s newest ambassador to Denmark, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has now selected four of his former cabinet ministers for diplomatic posts—a count that sits among the highest in Canadian history, and has some past ambassadors worried about eschewing career diplomats.

Neil Moss

Ever-changing geopolitical world increasingly pressing Canada’s consular efforts into action: former diplomats

After a year of wide-scale evacuation efforts, Canada’s consular services will continue to be pressed to respond to ever-emerging global threats that put Canadians abroad at risk, say former diplomats as they applaud the formalization of the diplomatic role in hostage negotiation. Canada’s consular response, run out of the Emergency Response and Watch Centre inside the Pearson Building where Global...

Neil Moss

CUSMA and friends? Costa Rican trade minister makes pitch to join North American pact

With momentum building south of the border, Costa Rica’s top trade official has brought his pitch to join Canada’s North American trade deal to Ottawa.In December 2022, Costa Rica signalled it was looking to apply to the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), known as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) below the 49th parallel.

Neil Moss

Partisan clashes cloud implementation of revised Ukraine trade bill as experts pan Tories’ carbon tax complaints

With a bill to implement a revised Canada-Ukraine trade deal moving through the House amid partisan mudslinging, experts are lambasting the Conservatives for elevating a domestic political dispute to the international arena.Bill C-57, to implement the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement, passed clause-by-clause consideration at the House International Trade Committee on Nov. 28, with support from all parties except the Conservatives.