The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is currently being renegotiated by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. On the campaign trail, President Donald Trump promised to get a better deal, or walk away entirely from NAFTA if necessary. Amidst the air of uncertainty surrounding the talks, a productive discussion surrounding the prospects and challenges to modernizing NAFTA has emerged. Though NAFTA was a cutting–edge trade deal in 1994, international trade has transformed significantly since then, most notably with the advent of the digital economy. This full–day conference explores both the politics and reality of the NAFTA negotiations, and puts forward ideas for what a modern NAFTA could look like.

WELCOMING REMARKS

Simon Lester, Trade Policy Analyst, Herbert A. Stiefel Center for Trade Policy Studies, Cato Institute

SESSION I: NAFTA'S ORIGIN & PURPOSE

John Weekes, Bennett Jones

Rufus Yerxa, National Foreign Trade Council

Ricardo Ramirez, Appellate Body Member, World Trade Organization

Moderator: Jim Bacchus, Former Chairman of the WTO Appellate Body