John Robson: If We Want Free Trade, We Should First Practice It

Workers prepare artisanal cheeses at a production facility in Noyan, Que., on Oct. 11, 2018. Canada's dairy industry is heavily protected from competition through supply management. The Canadian Press/Ryan Remiorz

Commentary

Perhaps we need Sherlock Holmes to deduce how to respond to Donald Trump’s tariff threats. You might think it’s not exactly the famous detective’s line. But recall how in response to a weird warning note sent to Sir Henry Baskerville using letters clipped from a newspaper, Holmes drew Watson’s attention to a Times “leader” extolling free trade and was surprised everyone didn’t get the connection.