Anglais

Freeland says landing a renegotiated NAFTA deal was always going to come down to the wire

Published

6 années ago

octobre 2, 2018

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Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland said that if it was ever going to be possible to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement she believed a deal would only happen at the last possible moment.

« We had a bit of, we didn’t actually bet on this, but there was a conversation inside the team of when in September it would happen and I think it’s fair for me now to reveal I’ve always thought it would happen on Sunday night, » Freeland told CBC’s The National.

« I always thought it wouldn’t be finally finalized until the 11th hour, » she told host Rosemary Barton.

Freeland said, that despite the challenge ahead of her, and the expected drama to come, that NAFTA — now renamed the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, USMCA — was a trading relationship that worked, was beneficial to all three partners, and that « economic logic ultimately does prevail »

« So I was really, really, ultimately, in my heart, serene about the outcome, » she said.

There were two key moments along the way that signaled to Freeland a deal was not only possible, but likely. The first, she said, came when the U.S. backed down from its opening position on the rules of origin for the auto industry.

« The Americans had started off demanding 50 per cent U.S. domestic content in cars and car parts. That would have been devastating for Canada, and so we just had to say no. »

Freeland talks about when the deal would land.

Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland on when she thought the renegotiation of NAFTA would come together for Canada. 0:52

Then U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, Freeland’s counterpart, came up with the idea that instead of demanding a certain percentage of the car had to be made by the U.S., it would require a percentage of the car to be manufactured by workers earning high wages.

« So instead of it being the U.S., it would be high-wage labour, which of course includes Canada, and suddenly the U.S. and Canadian interests were aligned and this was a deal that Canada could do » Freeland said.

Dairy

The second moment when she knew a deal was likely, Freeland said, came in August when she went back to Washington « and it was clear that the car deal had been concluded by the Mexicans and also that the Americans really wanted us to be a part of it. »

« Which also makes sense. This has always been a three-way agreement. The Canadian economic relationship is clearly the most valuable one for the Americans, so it became clear to me in that first week that Ambassador Lighthizer had real goodwill when it came to getting a deal, » she said.

Freeland also spoke about the challenges of both sides coming into the negotiation with red lines they were not prepared to cross. One of those lines was the way Canada ran its dairy sector.

« Canada came in with the position, it was very clear, supported by the entire Parliament, that we wanted to defend our supply management, our supply managed sector, » Freeland said. « And by the way, whether or not Canada has supply management needs to be a decision for Canada and Canadians and not for any other country, so we were clear about that. »

I don’t think any country would like someone to be in their critical trade negotiations that was not tough.– Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland

Freeland said the debate over dairy was quite normal for trade negotiations in that the U.S. wanted Canada to open its market in dairy, just as Canada wanted the market opened for cars and car parts.

« What we felt was possible and reasonable was to offer some additional market access, » in the dairy sector, she said. « What we were not prepared to do was to change our system, because that’s our business, not anybody else’s. »

Another red line for Canada was Chapter 19.

« What Chapter 19 does is, it gives us laws and rules that govern our trading relationship with the United States and an independent binational panel that decides who’s right and who’s wrong, » Freeland said.

Freeland talks about dispute resolution and Chapter 19.

Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland explains why Chapter 19 was so critical for Canada in the renegotiation of NAFTA. 0:39

« We Canadians understand how close our ties with the United States are, how critical they are, but also that they are big and we are small. And so the way to make that work is to have a set of rules, and have an independent place you can go to figure out who is in the right and who isn’t. Chapter 19 is that, » Freeland said.

While that provision was an irritant for Lighthizer from the outset of negotiations, Freeland said her U.S. counterpart « has come to appreciate its value for Canada and the value it brought to the larger trading relationship. »

Working with Trump

Freeland also addressed a side letter that lays out automotive export restraints, rebuffing any suggestion that Canada is facing quotas.

« I want to be very, very clear. There are no quotas in [USMCA] on car sales between the U.S. and Canada, there no quotas on car parts when it comes to the side letter on 232 [national security provisions] on cars and car parts, » she said.

« What that side letter does is it gives us some comfort that in the, I believe, frankly, unlikely event that the U.S. were to impose 232 tariffs on cars and car parts, we would have a huge part, actually well over our current level of trade with the U.S., [that] would be guaranteed not to be exposed to those. »

Freeland also touched on U.S. President Donald Trump’s apparent dislike of her, something thrust into the open recently when Trump told reporters in New York: « We’re very unhappy with the negotiations and the negotiating style of Canada. We don’t like their representative very much. »

While he did not mention Freeland by name, the comment was widely seen as a jab at Freeland.

« I don’t think any country would like someone to be in their critical trade negotiations that was not tough, » she said.

Power & Politics talks to experts about the USMCA:

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Anglais

Nostalgia and much more with Starburst XXXtreme

Published

3 années ago

août 10, 2021

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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

Published

3 années ago

juillet 23, 2021

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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

Published

3 années ago

juillet 23, 2021

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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.