International trade minister Pierre Pettigrew believes an agricultural deal is possible at the World Trade Organization despite a recent breakdown in negotiations.
But he also insisted that Canada does not have to change its negotiating position, even though the chair of the WTO negotiations has complained that deadlock has happened because no country will compromise.
“The Canadian position is a very moderate position,” Pettigrew told reporters April 9 after an appearance before the House of Commons trade committee.
“It is ambitious, but it really wants to give much better access to Canadian farmers on export markets.”
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He said Canada’s position of eliminating export subsidies, sharply cutting trade and production-distorting domestic subsidies and increasing market access through tariff rate quotas is good for developing countries and would allow Canada to preserve supply management.
Pettigrew said there is no reason to change that position.
And he told MPs on the trade committee that it is up to other countries to compromise.
“The leadership and engagement of the European Union and the United States will be needed if these negotiations are to reach a conclusion by our agreed deadline of Jan. 1, 2005,” he said.
Pettigrew insisted that the stalemate in agricultural talks, including a missed March 31 deadline for agreement on goals, is not fatal.
“I am disappointed somewhat at the missed deadlines, but I believe it’s important not to over-dramatize.”
He said an agricultural deal remains key for Canada.
Canadian Alliance critic Rick Casson of Lethbridge accused the Liberals of trying to “go both ways” by promoting trade liberalization while insisting that supply management protections be maintained.
Pettigrew is unapologetic about insisting that supply management protections be retained as long as there is free import access to the Canadian market for a percentage of domestic sales.
“We intend to maintain a system that has demonstrated its value,” he said.
On April 9, the international trade department published its list of trade and market access priorities for 2003. Winning a deal at the WTO was high on the list.
However, the department also hinted that the fate of the agricultural negotiations may be decided at a trade ministers’ WTO meeting in Mexico in September.
Pettigrew told reporters he hopes for progress before then, in part because 25 trade ministers with an interest in agriculture will be meeting in Paris at the end of April to try to find a way to get the negotiations back on track.
