TURNING TOWARDS TAFTA? TRANSATLANTIC FREE TRADE AND CANADIAN FOREIGN POLICY

In: Études internationales: revue trimestrielle, Band 27, Heft 2, S. 353-380

Abstract

THIS PAPER BEGINS BY REVIEWING SOME OF THE THEORETICAL ISSUES TO BE CANVASSED IN ANY CONSIDERATION OF TRADE AND FOREIGN POLICY. THE EMPIRICAL COR OF THE PAPER IS A DESCRIPTION OF THE MANY RECENT PROPOSALS TO ENHANCE TRANSATLANTIC RELATIONS. IT THEN TURNS TO CONSIDERATION OF A PUZZLE: WHY HAS THIS RESURGENCE OF ATLANTICIST FEVER IN TRADE POLICY HAPPENED NOW? FINALLY, IN THE CONCLUSION, IT DISCUSSES WHETHER THE TRANSATLANTIC FREE TRADE AREA (TAFTA) IS MEANT TO BE AN OBJECTIVE OF POLICY IN ITS OWN RIGHT, OR AN INSTRUMENT USED IN PURSUIT OF SOME OTHER OBJECTIVE. THE PAPER CONCLUDES THAT TAFTA IS NOT SIGNIFICANT FOR TRADE POLICY, BUT IT IS FOR FOREIGN POLICY.