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U.S.-Mexico text may preview Canada’s NAFTA prospects

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The U.S. trade representative was expected to post text online this weekend that will lay out more of what Mexico has agreed to so far in the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement.

While Robert Lighthizer portrayed the preliminary agreement in principle announced in late August as exclusively bilateral, it may include at least a dozen chapters reportedly closed between all three NAFTA partners. 

That means that at least indirectly, the document expected over this weekend may reveal more than has been previously confirmed about Canada’s negotiations to date.

Mexican government officials have sent mixed signals on whether some of what they agreed to is viable without Canada.

Nevertheless, Mexico has not opposed the Trump administration’s moves to proceed. Mexico’s economy ministry was expected to publish text on its website on Friday evening. But a decision was later taken to delay the publication in order to give Canada more time to come on board.

Lighthizer said during an event in New York Tuesday that even though the Donald Trump administration is moving towards signature with Mexico, talks with Canada will continue.

« If we can’t get an agreement with Canada, we’re not going to walk away from one with Mexico. It makes no sense, » he said.

As for Canada, « we’ll have to do something separately as soon afterwards as we can, » he told the Concordia Summit. « We’re certainly not going to give up. »

The USTR is required to post text of an agreement 60 days in advance of signing it, meaning this weekend is the deadline. The outgoing Mexican president leaves office on Dec.1.

Missing this window would be « unfair to all the people involved, » Lighthizer said, adding Americans don’t know how negotiations might go with the next Mexican president.

While he sounded frustrated at not concluding talks with Canada, he didn’t show the personal animosity U.S. President Donald Trump lobbed at Canada’s negotiating style, remarks that sparked a flurry of stand-by-our-team defensiveness in Ottawa and beyond.

U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters in New York Wednesday that he rejected a meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau because he does not like Canada’s tariffs, NAFTA negotiating style or representative at those negotiations. 0:30

While negotiators have been meeting continuously in recent weeks, Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland is in New York for the United Nations General Assembly, where she’s scheduled to speak Saturday.

No Congressional vote soon

It’s not clear exactly what kind of text will be posted for Congress, nor how it will be received.

Former officials familiar with legal work required to prepare text for signature doubt the USTR had enough time to rewrite any text drafted on the premise of Canada going along.

In the case of the automotive chapter, some of the rules-of-origin calculations may have been based on all three countries participating in the tariff-free North American supply chains, not just two.

Regardless, any text released need not be what Congress eventually votes on. There’s a long committee consultation process ahead to provide feedback before votes begin.

The timelines for that process make it all but impossible for the current Congress to approve this deal. Instead, the earliest possible timeline for the new Congress to vote appears to be February or March in 2019.

Even that assumes something that’s not a given: Congress agreeing with the Trump administration that its authorization to renegotiate the currently trilateral NAFTA would apply to this attempt at fast tracking text for a deal that leaves one country out.

That kind of endorsement appeared elusive Thursday, after the USTR briefed both the Senate finance committee and the House ways and means committee that have jurisdiction over trade votes.

Democrats emerged from that meeting panning the strategy of proceeding without Canada.

Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden called it « malpractice, both for economic and political reasons, » and said the Trump administration was « surrendering on fixing NAFTA. »

Chapter previews?

Canadian negotiators have been tight-lipped on the details of what they may or may not have already signed off on, focusing instead on occasional revelations about what the final sticking points are.

In that respect, this text may be illuminating.

The existing NAFTA has 22 chapters, but various officials have suggested Canada may have made progress at convincing the other two countries to add chapters on gender equality and Indigenous rights. New chapters covering the digital economy and e-commerce were also expected.

Earlier in the summer, Mexican officials said nine or ten chapters were closed trilaterally. Canadian officials told CBC News earlier this month that another three chapters closed during bilateral talks between Canada and the U.S. over the last month.

The text may also include at least one highly-anticipated side letter laying out automotive export restraints Mexico agreed to in return for not facing the car tariffs Donald Trump keeps threatening.

In late August, it wasn’t clear exactly what Mexico agreed to for the three dispute resolution chapters in the current NAFTA. Canada’s been fighting hard to keep the ability to refer unfair U.S. duties to NAFTA panels for arbitration, so this part of the text may be what Canadians turn to first.

It’s unclear whether Canada has signed on to the reforms previewed for the existing Chapter 11 investor-state dispute settlement process.

The August announcement was also silent on the future of Chapter 19, one of the remaining sticking points between the U.S. and Canada.

Nor did officials say what’s happening to Chapter 20, the state-to-state dispute resolution process which, while rarely used, is arguably of critical importance. The ability of the World Trade Organization to mediate global trade disputes effectively appears more and more in doubt.

The PM reacts to President Donald Trump’s criticism of Canada’s NAFTA negotiators. 0:16

Language on environmental and labour protections previously relegated to side letters was expected to be elevated to full chapters in the revised agreement, similar to the approach taken in the 12-country Trans-Pacific Partnership text the three countries signed in 2016. (The United States withdrew from the TPP when Trump took office.)

Analysts will be looking at the new language for evidence of improved enforceability, particularly in light of the support labour unions gave for NAFTA’s renegotiation, amid longstanding concerns about cheap Mexican labour offering an incentive for businesses to move south.

Key Democratic votes in Congress may hinge on labour groups feeling satisfied, and a coalition of Democrats and Republicans may be required to ratify new text.

Agricultural trade provisions reached between the U.S. and Mexico may offer little to no insight on the state of Canada’s negotiation, however. In the existing NAFTA, agricultural provisions apply on a bilateral, not trilateral, basis.

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Anglais

Nostalgia and much more with Starburst XXXtreme

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Get a taste of adventure with Starburst XXXtreme based on the legendary NetEnt Game. The nostalgic themes are sure to capture fans of the classic version as they get treated to higher intensity, better visuals, and features. The most significant element of the game is its volatility. Patience will not be an essential virtue considering the insane gameplay, and there is a lot of win potential involved. It retains the original makeup of the previous game while adding a healthy dose of adrenaline. 

Starburst Visuals and Symbols

The game is definitely more conspicuous than before. The setting happens over a 5-reel, 3-row game grid with nine fixed win lines, which function if a succession from the left to the right reel is present. Only those players that that attain the highest win per bet line are paid. From a visual standpoint, the Starburst XXXtreme slots illustrates lightning effects behind the reels, which is not surprising as it is inherited from the original version. Available themes include Classic, Jewels, and Space. The game is also available in both desktop and mobile versions, which is advantageous for players considering the global pandemic. According to Techguide, American gamers are increasingly having more engaging gaming experiences to socialize to fill the gap of in-person interaction. Starburst XXXtreme allows them to fill the social void at a time when there is so much time to be had indoors. 

Starburst XXXTreme Features

Players get to alternate on three features which are Starburst Wilds, XXXtreme Spins, and Random Wilds. The first appears on reels 2,3, or 4. When these land, they expand to cover all positions while also calculating the wins. They are also locked for a respin. If a new one hits, it also becomes locked while awarding another respin. Starburst XXXtreme offers a choice between two scenarios for a higher stake. In one scenario with a ten times stake, the Starburst Wild is set on random on reels 2,3, or 4, and a multiplier starts the respin. The second scenario, which has a 95 times stake, starts with two guaranteed starburst wilds on reels 2,3, or 4. it also plays out using respin game sequence and features. The game also increases the potential with the Random Wilds feature to add Starburst Wilds to a vacant reel at the end of a spin. Every Starburst Wild gives a random multiplier with potential wins of x2, x3, x5, x10, x25, x50, x100, or even x150.

The new feature is sure to be a big hit with the gaming market as online gambling has shown significant growth during the lockdown. AdAge indicates the current casino customer base is an estimated one in five Americans, so Starburst XXXtreme’s additional features will achieve considerable popularity. 

What We Think About The Game

The gambling market has continued to diversify post-pandemic, so it is one of the most opportune times to release an online casino-based game. Thankfully Starburst XXXtreme features eye-catching visuals, including the jewels and space themes. These attract audience participation and make the gameplay inviting. The game also has a nostalgic edge. The previous NetEnt iteration featured similar visuals and gameplay, so the audience has some familiarity with it. The producers have revamped this version by tweaking the features to improve the volatility and engagement. 

That is characterized by the potential win cap of 200,000 times the bet. Starburst XXXtreme does not just give betting alternatives for players that want to go big. The increase of multipliers also provides a great experience. If the respins in the previous version were great, knowing that multipliers can go hundreds of times overtakes the game to a new level. 

Players should get excited about this offering. All of the features can be triggered within a single spin. Whether one plays the standard game or takes the XXXtreme spin route, it is possible to activate all of the features. Of course, the potential 200,000 times potential is a huge carrot. However, the bet size is probably going to be restricted and vary depending on the casino. It is also worth pointing out that a malfunction during the gameplay will void all of the payouts and progress. Overall, the game itself has been designed to provide a capped win of 200,000 times the original bet. 

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Anglais

‘We’re back’: Montreal festival promoters happy to return but looking to next year

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In downtown Montreal, it’s festival season.

In the city’s entertainment district, a musical act was conducting a sound check on stage Friday evening — the second day of the French-language version of the renowned Just For Laughs comedy festival. Tickets for many of the festival’s free outdoor shows — limited by COVID-19 regulations — were sold out.

Two blocks away, more than 100 people were watching an acoustic performance by the Isaac Neto Trio — part of the last weekend of the Festival International Nuits d’Afrique, a celebration of music from the African continent and the African diaspora.

With COVID-19 restrictions continuing to limit capacity, festival organizers say they’re glad to be back but looking forward to next year when they hope border restrictions and capacity limits won’t affect their plans.

Charles Décarie, Just For Laughs’ CEO and president, said this is a “transition year.”

“Even though we have major constraints from the public health group in Montreal, we’ve managed to design a festival that can navigate through those constraints,” Décarie said.

The French-language Juste pour rire festival began on July 15 and is followed by the English-language festival until July 31.

When planning began in February and March, Décarie said, organizers came up with a variety of scenarios for different crowd sizes, ranging from no spectators to 50 per cent of usual capacity.

“You’ve got to build scenarios,” he said. “You do have to plan a little bit more than usual because you have to have alternatives.”

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Anglais

MELS new major movie studio to be built in Montreal

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MONTREAL — MELS Studios will build a new film studio in Montreal, filling some of the gap in supply to meet the demand of Hollywood productions.

MELS president Martin Carrier said on Friday that MELS 4 studio construction will begin « as soon as possible », either in the fall or winter of next year. The studio could host productions as early as spring 2023.

The total investment for the project is $76 million, with the Quebec government contributing a $25 million loan. The project will create 110 jobs, according to the company.

The TVA Group subsidiary’s project will enable it to stand out « even more » internationally, according to Quebecor president and CEO Pierre Karl Péladeau. In the past, MELS Studios has hosted several major productions, including chapters of the X-Men franchise. The next Transformers movie is shooting this summer in Montreal.

Péladeau insisted that local cultural productions would also benefit from the new facility, adding that the studio ensures foreign revenues and to showcase talent and maintain an industry of Quebec producers.

STUDIO SHORTAGE

The film industry is cramped in Montreal.

According to a report published last May by the Bureau du cinéma et de la télévision du Québec (BCTQ), there is a shortage of nearly 400,000 square feet of studio space.

With the addition of MELS 4, which will be 160,000 square feet, the company is filling part of the gap.

Carrier admitted that he has had to turn down contracts because of the lack of space, representing missed opportunities of « tens of millions of dollars, not only for MELS, but also for the Quebec economy. »

« Montreal’s expertise is in high demand, » said Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante, who was present at the announcement.

She said she received great testimonials from « Netflix, Disney, HBO and company » during an economic mission to Los Angeles in 2019.

« What stands out is that they love Montreal because of its expertise, knowledge and beauty. We need more space, like MELS 4, » she said.

There is still not enough capacity in Quebec, acknowledged Minister of Finance, the Economy and Innovation Eric Girard.

« It is certain that the government is concerned about fairness and balance, so if other requests come in, we will study them with the same seriousness as we have studied this one, » he said.

Grandé Studios is the second-largest player in the industry. Last May, the company said it had expansion plans that should begin in 2022. Investissement Québec and Bell are minority shareholders in the company.

For its part, MELS will have 400,000 square feet of production space once MELS 4 is completed. The company employs 450 people in Quebec and offers a range of services including studio and equipment rentals, image and sound postproduction, visual effects and a virtual production platform.

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