Canadian Wheat Board officials are getting ready to swing at another legal curve ball thrown at them by the American government.
The Canadian government, representing the CWB’s interests, has until June 28 to reply to the U.S. government’s appeal of its failed complaint against the wheat board at the World Trade Organization.
The U.S. appeal submission, with its June 11 deadline, sets in train a process that should lead to a July WTO appeal body hearing and a decision that must be rendered by Sept. 1.
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Wheat board spokesperson Louise Waldman said her organization is not scared of the U.S. challenge.
“We are quite confident the WTO appellate body will uphold the original panel’s decision that the CWB operates in accordance with international trade law,” said Waldman.
“It was a very strong decision and there was no ambiguity about it.”
The WTO said some of Canada’s grain transportation regulations were improper, but rejected the American argument that the CWB’s structure and activities broke international trade rules.
American government officials announced they would challenge the WTO ruling that the single desk marketing system complies with Article 17 of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, the precursor to the WTO.
The deadline for the Canadian government’s response to the American appeal is the same day as the federal election, but Waldman said wheat board officials are not worried about the government being too distracted to put up a good fight.
“The bureaucracy continues to work,” said Waldman. “Countries continue to function during elections.”
