The Brian Mulroney Institute of Government Distinguished Speakers Series Presents
Booze, Cigarettes, and Constitutional Dust-Ups: Canada’s Quest for Interprovincial Free Trade
Ryan Manucha
Monday, October 23, 2023
Mulroney Hall 3034
7:00 pm–9:00 pm ADT
Canada’s interprovincial trade barriers tell an engrossing story of our country’s struggle to pursue an enduring singleness, despite a staggering diversity in climate, topography, demography, and economics. The tale of our economic union is woven into the nation’s industrial outputs—from turkeys and potash to margarine and duvets, and, of course, booze. This talk traces the story of interprovincial trade to the present day, unearthing the intergenerational battles that pit national and local ambitions against one another, as well as the sacrifices and trade-offs that Canadians would have to make in order to liberalize internal trade.
The COVID-19 pandemic reminded Canadians about the importance of internal trade. Fickle foreign trading partners, border restrictions, and ascendant nationalism across the globe invite Canadians to increasingly look to one another for enduring economic prosperity. This talk looks ahead at what is to come for Canadian interprovincial trade and offers recommendations from a broad study of the topic.
All are welcome.
Please join us in person or via Zoom.
Ryan Manucha is a leading scholar on interprovincial trade in Canada. He presently serves as an external advisor to the federal government. His work has appeared in several of Canada’s leading legal journals (Osgoode Hall Law Review, the Canadian Business Law Journal, and the Canadian Journal of Administrative Law and Practice) and significant periodicals (The Globe and Mail, Ottawa Sun, and Maclean’s). He has appeared on TVO’s The Agenda with Steve Paikin and CBC Radio, among other outlets. He has also authored reports published by Canada’s leading think tanks (C.D. Howe Institute and the Macdonald Laurier Institute). In 2022, he was commissioned to conduct a policy review for the Government of Alberta. Most recently, his interdisciplinary book on the topic was published by McGill-Queen’s University Press as part of its Brian Mulroney Institute on Government Studies in Leadership, Public Policy, and Governance series. The book, Booze, Cigarettes, and Constitutional Dust-Ups, won the 2022 Donner Prize for best in Canadian public policy and writing. He obtained his JD from Harvard Law School, where he was awarded the Frederick Sheldon Fellowship to pursue research on interprovincial trade. He obtained his BA in Economics, magna cum laude, from Yale University.
Photo credit: Irina Blok