Brexit or Breaksit?

[robkelk]

In with a rather comfortable majority, too.

Ah, well. I suppose the UK will just have to see what trade agreements exist within NATO and the Commonwealth, since they won't get the protections of the EU's import agreements any more.

Well, that isn't happening.

Canadian businesses need more than optimism from Boris Johnson

Panic set in over the prospect of a no-deal Brexit. In an emergency move to protect British consumers and businesses from sudden price shocks, the U.K. published a "temporary" list offering any country — not just those with pre-existing trade deals — tariff-free access for 87 per cent of what the U.K. imports, without a requirement for any reciprocal tariff cuts for British exports.

Canadian officials found out about it from the media, the source said.

Lowering these tariffs undercut the value of the preferential trade deal Canada thought it had negotiated with the U.K. Canada was grateful it hadn't finalized its commitment too soon, the government source said.

"Why would Canada make any concessions in a CETA equivalent [deal] when we know that we'll have pretty much 95 per cent duty-free access into that market?" said Brian Kingston, vice-president of the Business Council of Canada.

"Yes, the U.K. is an important and large market, but any negotiator sitting down with them would recognize that there's a different level of desperation with the Brits."

(For those who don't follow trade deals: CETA)