If a federal election were called this month, it would create uncertainty in Canada’s place at December’s pivotal World Trade Organization ministerial meeting in Hong Kong, say farm group leaders.
Ministers, particularly agriculture minister Andy Mitchell who would be in a tough election battle in his own riding, may opt to campaign rather than leave the country.
And a Canadian delegation containing only bureaucrats would be at a disadvantage at a meeting where political compromises are to be made.
“Ideally, in a perfect world, our ministers need to be there but in a democracy if there is an election, that may not be possible,” said Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance president Liam McCreery in an interview from Geneva.
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“But whether or not we are there at the ministers’ level, the meeting will go on. I hope ministers can be there.”
Canadian Federation of Agriculture president Bob Friesen was less sanguine.
“It is extremely important that ministers be there because that is an important forum where decisions will be made and political leadership will be needed,” he said in a Nov. 14 interview. “It will be most unfortunate if ministers are not there.”
At Carleton University in Ottawa, political science expert Jonathon Malloy said ministers can attend international conferences during an election campaign. By convention, governments are not supposed to make commitments during campaigns that could bind future governments, but international conferences are an exception.
“During the last campaign, the prime minister went to the G8,” he said. “My gut feeling is the more vital the meeting, the more likely it is that ministers will show up, election or not.”
Jacquie LaRocque, communications director for trade minister Jim Peterson, said Nov. 14 the potential impact on the WTO talks is one reason opposition parties should not work together to bring down the government.
“Canada should and wants to be represented and will do everything possible to make sure that happens.”
But Conservative trade critic Ted Menzies said an election call is no reason ministers should not take the time to go to Hong Kong.
“I plan to be there,” said the Alberta MP who captured 75 percent of the vote in his riding in 2004 compared to the 43 percent that Mitchell received in his Ontario riding. “It is very important that we have political leadership there.”
