Marv Shaffer

Economist, would-be writer and other things

[Marv Shaffer @MarvShaffer]

@allenanalysis It is disheartening that so many people took seriously and even supported awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to Trump. a man ultimately responsible for murder in the Caribbean and now eastern Pacific open sea.

[Marv Shaffer @MarvShaffer]

Re-upping a blog I wrote last winter. The bigger issue for Canadians is not Trump's war on us but rather the war he is foisting on his own country. https://t.co/RZgqtS16Ae

[Marv Shaffer @MarvShaffer]

@katiederosayyj And in the same vein..... https://t.co/ip1Y6FJoV2

[Marv Shaffer @MarvShaffer]

ICYMI. A blog on the recent BC Ferries' vessel purchase controversy.
https://t.co/ip1Y6FJoV2

[Marv Shaffer @MarvShaffer]

@RobShaw_BC @cafreeland @BCFerries Time for the politicians and pundits to back off their attacks on BC Ferries and think through the vessel purchase issue. https://t.co/ip1Y6FJoV2

[Marv Shaffer @MarvShaffer]

@RobShaw_BC @Dave_Eby @the_lineca A serious policy discussion would be whether Canada should develop ship-building capacity--not whether it should procure locally to meet present needs when no such capacity exists. And whether we should develop ship building capacity is not clear. There is a reason for trade.

[Marv Shaffer @MarvShaffer]

@VancouverSun Nothing wrong with BCH importing electricity. It is the most cost-effective way to manage low water years. What is wrong in today's world is excessive reliance on imports from the US. BC needs stronger ties to Alberta - to import to fill reservoirs and export on peak.

[Marv Shaffer @MarvShaffer]

@davidfrum It is amusing speculating what would happen if the reciprocal tariffs stay in place. But they won't. The question for Canada (and others) is what do they want to take their place. A blog... https://t.co/qYUZRdAMci

[Marv Shaffer @MarvShaffer]

@Alex_Panetta A related blog on why reconsidering the F35s is so much more important than the retaliatory tariffs we impose. https://t.co/nIIOKvZsvm

[Marv Shaffer @MarvShaffer]

A blog I wrote 7 years ago on the strategic value of what was then the proposed Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion project. Let's make sure no matter how and when Trump caves, we don't again forget the need to diversify.
https://t.co/VVeLz2FtFX

[Marv Shaffer @MarvShaffer]

@Alex_Panetta It is a good thing that Trump’s threats are discouraging investment to serve the US mkt. We want less not more dependence on an unreliable trading partner. We want investments to serve other mkts.

[Marv Shaffer @MarvShaffer]

@AndrewFeinberg @AP @dsupervilleap @POTUS Wouldn't it be great if all reporters stopped travelling with Trump as long as he tries to punish AP for referring to the Gulf of Mexico by its internationally recognized name. There is no reason to accept and normalize abnormal behaviour.

[Marv Shaffer @MarvShaffer]

@maxseddon Trump agrees not to defend Ukraine; Putin agrees not to defend Canada.

[Marv Shaffer @MarvShaffer]

@Alex_Panetta The question of course is why would you want to increase the utilization of high cost US aluminum capacity. Why does the US want to raise the cost of everything that aluminum is used for. There is reason for trade. It lets you produce what you are good at and buy what you aren't.

[Marv Shaffer @MarvShaffer]

It isn't just the war on Canada we need to concerns ourselves with. The greater calamity is arguably the war on the values and institutions that the US helped develop and lead. https://t.co/RZgqtS16Ae

[Marv Shaffer @MarvShaffer]

@Alex_Panetta If Trump puts a tariff on everything but oil Canada should definitely impose an export tax. The US shouldn’t be allowed to exploit Cdn resources while impeding the sale of manufactured goods. We are not a US colony and the US is not an imperial power.

[Marv Shaffer @MarvShaffer]

@kaylatausche @Alex_Panetta @ella_nilsen @CNN What Canada does not need is more oil pipeline capacity to and dependence on American markets. The US is not a reliable trade partner and Canada is more than the resource colony the US wants us to be.

[Marv Shaffer @MarvShaffer]

@Alex_Panetta The thing about extortion is that the extortionist’s demands are never satisfied. What works once can work again. Canada needs a different more independent strategy, even if it means serious costs in the short term.

[Marv Shaffer @MarvShaffer]

@Alex_Panetta It is increasingly clear that the US is not a reliable partner for Canada. We need to respond to the latest threats with a long term strategy to be more independent and resilient. And that means the opposite of partnering with US defence. https://t.co/oNcbzYuK1E

[Marv Shaffer @MarvShaffer]

@ChantalHbert Very good opinion piece by Coyne. In similar vein -- in addition to not panicking or caving Canada should look ahead to what it can do to be less vulnerable to the vagaries of US trade policy over the longer term. https://t.co/oNcbzYuK1E