Agriculture minister Lyle Vanclief starts the new year facing a significant trade policy challenge – finding common ground between exporters and importers as Canada tries to develop a negotiating position for world trade talks in late 1999.
During parliamentary hearings last autumn, exporters took a strong stand against any Canadian trade position that includes defending high supply management protective tariffs.
Supply managed sectors insisted that their interests be protected.
In a year-end interview, Vanclief insisted the two camps must be accommodated in any Canadian position taken to Geneva.
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“It’s going to take some work,” he said. “But I have said all along we have to have a strong and credible position. And credibility is going to have to be there for both the export-sensitive sectors and the import-sensitive sectors.”
Vanclief said he understands the two sectors have taken strong stands at public hearings. He said it is their attempt to get their strongest position forward.
“It is obvious why they are saying that publicly now but what will they say when we are putting our strategy together?” he wondered. “Privately, not one has said anything to me contrary to the fact that a joint strategy can’t be put together.”
During the last round of trade talks in 1986-93, Canada offered what it called a “balanced position”, defending access demands of exporters and protection demands of import-sensitive sectors.
During the House of Commons agriculture committee hearings on an appropriate trade strategy, many exporters complained that Canada had sacrificed exporter interests by using some of its negotiating chips to defend supply management.
They insisted that instead of a “balanced” position, it was hypocrisy in action.
But Vanclief said one Canadian interest cannot be played against another in the national policy. A unified position is required.
“Do I think it is still possible?” he asked. “I would say it is absolutely necessary.”
After taking part in a series of regional meetings, Ottawa will host a national conference of agriculture and food interests in April to try to find common ground.
In autumn, just weeks before the next round of world trade talks is to launch in the United States, setting the stage for detailed talks in Geneva in 2000, the federal government is to announce its opening negotiation stance.
Vanclief said he expects trade issues to supplant farm income as his prime focus as 1999 progresses. “Of course, a factor in farm income will be what trade rules we get.”
