Johns Hopkins SAIS expert available to discuss NAFTA renegotiations and U.S.-Canada relations

EXPERT ADVISORY
 
A newly empowered U.S. Congress will hold the reins in the upcoming renegotiation talks for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), according to a new report by Christopher Sands, Director of the Center for Canadian Studies at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).
                                                             
In the C.D. Howe Institute-released report, Table Stakes: Congress Will be Sitting across from Canada at the NAFTA 2.0 Negotiations, Sands finds that since Congress has redefined the U.S. negotiating process under 2015 legislation, it will be front and center in setting the pace of the negotiations.
 
“Due to the expanded role of Congress, this round of negotiations will be unlike those that have occurred before,” he said. “I expect the forthcoming U.S. negotiating list to reflect Congressional concerns and interests.”
 
During previous talks, Canadian negotiators were able to focus solely on the U.S. Trade Representative, paying less attention to Congress because it was not involved in the process until after a deal had been agreed up between both sides.
 
“Now, as U.S. interests press Congress to weigh in on their behalf during NAFTA 2.0 talks, they will have the means, motive and opportunity to do so,” Sands said. “Members and senators will voice concerns and threaten Canadian interests, and Canadian negotiators will have to pay attention.”
 
Sands is available to further discuss:

• Will renegotiations and implementation of a new trade agreement be achieved by the U.S. midterm elections in November 2018?
• How will the next Canadian federal election impact the fate of the agreement?
• How might the 2018 U.S. midterm elections affect U.S. negotiating positions?
• Will state governors and legislators influence the U.S. Congress on NAFTA renegotiation?
• What if NAFTA talks break down? Will Congress hold NAFTA together, or parts of it?
• Who are the House Members and Senators to watch during the NAFTA renegotiation?

 
The noted scholar has offered commentary on Canadian politics and policies as cited in The Wall Street Journal, Reuters, Time, Politico, The Christian Science Monitor, Toronto Star, and CTV News. 
 
Read more: Table Stakes: Congress Will Be Sitting across from Canada at the NAFTA 2.0 Negotiations
 
Media Contact
Stacy A. Anderson
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Johns Hopkins SAIS
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[email protected]
 
 About Johns Hopkins SAIS
 A division of Johns Hopkins University, the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) is a global institution that offers students an international perspective on today's critical issues. For nearly 75 years, Johns Hopkins SAIS has produced great leaders, thinkers, and practitioners of international relations. Public leaders and private sector executives alike seek the counsel of the faculty, whose ideas and research inform and shape policy. Johns Hopkins SAIS offers a global perspective across three campus locations: Bologna, Italy; Nanjing, China; and Washington, D.C. The school’s interdisciplinary curriculum is strongly rooted in the study of international economics, international relations, and regional studies, preparing students to address multifaceted challenges in the world today.
 
For more information, visit sais-jhu.edu or @SAISHopkins
 
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