South Korea has ignored a demand by agriculture minister Gerry Ritz to tell Canada by March 31 when Canadian beef will be allowed back into the Korean market or else.
With no response from Korea, Canadian officials are scrambling to figure out what “or else” means.
An announcement could come by the end of this week, government sources said April 6.
During an April 3 news conference about federal rebates of gas tax revenues to Saskatchewan communities, Ritz was asked about the passed deadline and what Canada will do.
Read Also
Forecasts point toward snowy winter
Even though it’s expected to be weak, La Niña often brings colder-than-average winters across the Prairies, with wetter conditions in the west and drier weather in the east.
“Those discussions are underway,” he said. “I actually met with the Canadian Cattlemen Association this morning. I know my colleague, (trade minister) Stockwell Day, is working with his counterpart in Korea to explain the facts of life to them, that we are not willing to wait on their timeline. We will proceed with the options at hand and we’ll move forward on this file.”
Toronto trade lawyer Lawrence Herman, an international trade expert said the Canadian government is correct to let Korea know its continued exclusion of Canadian beef will not go unpunished.
He said the options are launching a World Trade Organization challenge that could take years or using beef access as leverage in free trade negotiations with South Korea.
