On the beaches and in the meeting halls of Cancœn, Mexico this week, Canada will be wearing its divided agricultural trade objectives on its sleeve for the world to see.
At past negotiations, the Canadian government presented a country position allegedly representing a national consensus.
At past negotiations in Brussels, Geneva, Seattle and Qatar, industry stakeholders were often present on the fringes, analyzing information as it leaked out of talks and willing to offer advice to negotiators if decisions had to be made or compromises offered.
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This time, at least three faces of Canadian trade policy stakeholders will be visible to negotiators and media at the World Trade Organization talks and at least two of them do not agree with key parts of Canada’s official negotiating stance.
The Canadian Federation of Agriculture and its member organizations will be there in force to support Canada’s position to sharply decrease production-affecting domestic subsidies, eliminate export subsidies and defend Canadian supply management systems and the Canadian Wheat Board export monopoly.
“We were very involved in developing this policy and we believe it is credible and defendable,” said CFA president Bob Friesen.
“We will be there to support our own government and to try to convince farmers and negotiators from other countries that Canada’s position is a solid middle ground.”
More than ever before, that position will be challenged by Canadian interests that disagree with what they see as Canada’s attempt to ride both sides of the protectionist fence.
The Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance, with members such as Grain Growers of Canada, Canadian Cattlemen’s Association and the Canadian Sugar Institute, will also be out in full force, insisting that Canada unambiguously embrace free trade and tariff cuts as a way to gain market access concessions from other countries.
“We learned from other negotiations that if you are not there in person, you are out of the loop and have little influence when compromises are being made,” said Claresholm, Alta., grain producer Ted Menzies, president of CAFTA.
“We kind of slept through the last round and ended not accomplishing much in market access. We won’t make that mistake again. We’ll be there to keep their feet to the fire and to let the world know most Canadian farmers are traders and not protectionists.”
Friesen said Canadian disagreements over policy should be fought out at home, not in public where the government position can be undermined.
He said he doubts the critics will have much influence on WTO agriculture negotiation chair Stuart Harbinson.
“I don’t know that he listens to small dissident groups. He listens to governments, not to smaller interest groups around the world,” Friesen said.
Meanwhile, Canadian anti-globalization campaigners also will be there with thousands from around the world, operating “fair trade” seminars, workshops and staging a parade to protest what they see as growing corporate power in the world economy.
Council of Canadians chair Maude Barlow, Toronto author Naomi Klein and Quebec women’s leader Diane Matte have been identified in Mexico as “globalphobes” who will be under police and military scrutiny.
