For decades, economists and policymakers have argued that internal trade barriers are holding Canada back. But tariff threats from the United States and global uncertainty have prompted governments across the country to act on lowering those barriers.

In this episode of Futureproofing Canada, host Jennifer Ditchburn speaks with Ryan Manucha, one of Canada’s leading experts on interprovincial trade and the author of Booze, Cigarettes and Constitutional Dust-Ups, about the recent wave of legislation aimed at mutual recognition and internal trade reform.

They discuss what mutual recognition really means, why implementation is harder than it sounds, and whether new federal and provincial momentum can translate into lasting economic gains.

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Ryan Manucha photo

Ryan Manucha

Ryan Manucha is a research fellow at the C.D. Howe Institute. He holds a JD from Harvard Law School and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Yale University. He’s a leading expert on interprovincial trade in Canada and is frequently called upon to advise government and agencies. He is a regular media commentator, featured on CBC News, BBC World Service, BNN Bloomberg and CBC Radio. His book BoozeCigarettes and Constitutional Dust-Ups: Canada’s Quest for Interprovincial Free Trade won the Donner Prize for best in Canadian public policy writing and was a finalist for the Balsillie Prize for Public Policy.

Jennifer Ditchburn photo

Jennifer Ditchburn

Jennifer Ditchburn is the President and CEO of the Institute for Research on Public Policy. From 2016 to 2021, she was the Editor-in-Chief of the IRPP’s influential digital magazine, Policy Options. Prior to joining the IRPP, Jennifer spent two decades covering national and parliamentary affairs for The Canadian Press and for CBC Television. She is the co-editor with Graham Fox of The Harper Factor: Assessing a Prime Minister’s Policy Legacy (McGill-Queen’s).

Ryan Manucha photo

Ryan Manucha

Ryan Manucha is a research fellow at the C.D. Howe Institute. He holds a JD from Harvard Law School and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Yale University. He’s a leading expert on interprovincial trade in Canada and is frequently called upon to advise government and agencies. He is a regular media commentator, featured on CBC News, BBC World Service, BNN Bloomberg and CBC Radio. His book BoozeCigarettes and Constitutional Dust-Ups: Canada’s Quest for Interprovincial Free Trade won the Donner Prize for best in Canadian public policy writing and was a finalist for the Balsillie Prize for Public Policy.

Jennifer Ditchburn photo

Jennifer Ditchburn

Jennifer Ditchburn is the President and CEO of the Institute for Research on Public Policy. From 2016 to 2021, she was the Editor-in-Chief of the IRPP’s influential digital magazine, Policy Options. Prior to joining the IRPP, Jennifer spent two decades covering national and parliamentary affairs for The Canadian Press and for CBC Television. She is the co-editor with Graham Fox of The Harper Factor: Assessing a Prime Minister’s Policy Legacy (McGill-Queen’s).

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