Food industry lobby groups are applauding a new joint Canada-U. S. council to consider how to reduce regulatory differences that slow trade between the countries.
However, critics warn that it could erode Canada’s ability to set its own rules and decide what crosses the border.
The Canada-U. S. Regulatory Cooperation Council was unveiled in Washington, D.C., Feb. 4 after prime minister Stephen Harper and president Barack Obama announced plans to try to develop a plan to strengthen “perimeter security and economic competitiveness” between the two countries.
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It is an agreement in principle that has raised the hackles of nationalist groups worried about sovereignty and won the praise of business groups that complain about growing trade impediments over the past decade.
The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, Canadian Meat Council and Canadian Federation of Agriculture are among the agriculture sector groups that see potential benefit in the council.
CCA president Travis Toews said in a statement that differing regulatory and inspection requirements have made it more difficult to ship Canadian cattle to the United States.
The meat council, which represents federally inspected packers, said it hopes the result is meat inspection reform that makes inspection practices in the two countries equivalent because many of its members have plants on both sides of the border.
CFA president Ron Bonnett said he hopes work toward North American farm chemical product labelling is part of the agenda.
“In principle, the whole issue of strengthening trade and making the movement of goods across the border easier is something we support,” he said.
Deputy Liberal leader Ralph Goodale warned in the House of Commons Feb. 7 that Canada may be ceding control and sovereignty over such key issues as who is allowed into the country as immigrants or refugees and what information will be passed to the Americans about Canadians crossing the border.
In return, will Canada see the end of country-of-origin labelling or creation of “hassle-free access for durum, beef, pork and softwood?” he said.
Foreign affairs minister Lawrence Cannon did not answer directly.
