Hum

I learned about the stage whisper in high school. One
of the characters tells the audience - in an aside - his true
feelings or intentions. It is an expedient for the playwright,
often used in  farce (French theater) or the lighter moments
of an otherwise serious play, to amuse the hecklers(English theater),
and to be called on sparingly for obious reasons.

So this week we were treated to a rather spectacular one, by
President Trump, on his true intentions in the NAFTA negotitions.
The USA delegation was not going to move from its position; they
don't get what they want, they walk! It is tough talk, in a business idiom,
and was widely reported.

What really surprised me was that the Canadian delegation opened
this new round of negotiation by musings on the good faith of the
US team, making reference to those press reports. Have we fallen into
Sartrian existential theater? No, that would be about the authenticity
of one's own stance. Since when does government work from the press!?

In point of fact, these negotiations are those of governments, and each side
responds to an institutional infrastructure, and ultimately an electorate.
Let the Prime Minister play to the rafters...

There does seem to be a great fear in Canada's agricultural community. About
40% of it currently relies on supply management, and there is apprehension that
we are being threatened by larger American industrial farms. Farming equipment
is very expensive. A family farm might need a harvester a few days a year, so these
machines are better collectively owned, with local farmers planting on a schedule.
That is a reality for Canadian conditions. The open spaces and warmer climate
in the US favour an industrial model. (In effect, an industrial model is supply
management under another guise). No need to panic here.

Let's make a great deal.

                                       *     *     *

Looking further, it is not just question of mechanizing agriculture, largely
accomplished. Not even digitalizing machinery, also well under way. The future
makes very pointed information monitoring possible…

https://www.economist.com/technology-quarterly/2016-06-09/factory-fresh