The way the embarrassed Belgian government and EU officials are scrambling to save the deal among themselves, instead of making more demands on Canada, tells us that Ms Freeland's strategy is working (men are always underestimating feminine guile!).

The French-speaking minority Walloons are primarily playing for more influence within Belgium vis a vis their Dutch-speaking Flemish rivals. That's the issue the Belgian government needs to address to stop them holding CETA hostage, and it knows it.