If there is anyone more “Pollyanna-esque” than Foreign Affaìrs Minister Christia Freeland, who has regularly assured the media that trade negotiations are proceeding apace, it would have to be our “celebrity Prime Minister.”

Justin Trudeau apparently said today, according to CTV News Channel, that an agreement could be just “days away.” The Prime Minister admitted that the same prognostication was given last spring.

If there is an “agreement” between these governments it will have nothing to do with free trade among individuals or organizations of individuals, (i.e., corporations and other forms of business organizations).

In order to trade freely, individuals must have property rights protected by their governments. For governments to set any kind of regulation of the exchange of private property is to deny and frustrate trade.

Edward Podritske