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NAFTA The question on the mind of every CEO, union leader, politician, investor, auto worker and trade lawyer—indeed, anyone with a stake in NAFTA’s survival—is what next? For more than 20 years, NAFTA has been a source of economic growth for the world’s largest trading bloc. Most economists view the free trade deal as a net positive for the three nations. In a speech in August, Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland said Canada’s economy is 2.5 per cent larger every year than it would be without NAFTA: “It is as if Canada has been receiving a $20-billion cheque each year since NAFTA was ratified.” It’s safe to say that companies with the heaviest exposure to the U.S. will be hit hardest and fastest. “Canadian exporters would really get hammered in the capital markets,” Lee says. “When markets are uncertain, you err on the side of caution. What would the market do to those companies? They wouldn’t know how much of their sales would be going down. I can’t predict a

The cost to fill up a vehicle jumped to $1.36 a litre($6.12 a gal.)  this week at most North Bay gas stations. The price of fuel was a hot topic at the Tory meet and greet free breakfast event held at The Grande Wednesday morning. Progressive Conservative leader Doug Ford told the crowd of more than 200 people that the price of gas is “absolutely ridiculous” and the elimination of the carbon tax will reduce the price by about 4.5 cents per litre. Eliminating the carbon tax is one of Ford's many campaign promises. “The price of gas effects every single thing that moves from Point A to Point B,” he said. “We're going to get rid of the worst tax there is – the carbon tax.” The Liberals controversial cap-and-trade program started on Jan.1,2017 and is aimed to reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions from Ontario homes and businesses. The tax is estimated to cost the average Ontario household about $13 more per month to fuel a car and heat a hom