A senior federal trade bureaucrat says Canadian farmers should speak up about the benefits of freer trade to fight the public effectiveness of anti-free trade campaigner Maude Barlow, chair of the Council of Canadians.
Don Stephenson, director general of the foreign affairs department trade policy bureau, told the Canadian Federation of Agriculture annual meeting March 2 that the critics of trade liberalization have dominated the public debate.
He referred to comments by British prime minister Tony Blair in the Canadian House of Commons two weeks ago that it is time for supporters to make the argument for freer trade.
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“It is now critical that Canadian business that supports liberalized trade speak out, that they echo the views of Tony Blair,” said Stephenson.
He referred to a comment by American actor and comedian Woody Allen.
“Eighty percent of genius is just showing up,” the official quoted him as saying. Then he added: “At the moment, only Maude Barlow is showing up.”
He said the public is skeptical about the benefits of free trade because the critics and the protesters dominate the debate.
It is unusual for a government official to be so bluntly political. He said he was filling in for trade minister Pierre Pettigrew.
Stephenson said narrow agricultural talks in Geneva have been going well, but many countries believe a broader negotiation is needed to make real concessions and gains. In the Persian Gulf country of Qatar, trade ministers will meet in November to try to launch a broad negotiation.
He agreed in a question period that the fact talks will take place in a distant, controlled state that will offer limited access for non-governmental groups is a challenge for the World Trade Organization and its aim of looking more transparent since protesters made headlines after they were tear gassed in Seattle.
Meanwhile, the CFA approved a trade policy last week calling for the government to head into the next trade negotiation advocating a position that:
- Not only defends and tries to preserve protectionist supply management but promotes rules allowing countries to create protections for domestic food production systems.
- Demands an end to export subsidies.
- Calls for greater disciplines on production-distorting domestic support.
- Seeks assurances that the European Union subsidies for “multifunctional” agriculture are not trade distorting and are included in caps on domestic subsidies.
- Insists that Canada defend state trading enterprises such as the Canadian Wheat Board as long as they play by WTO rules.
- Urges creation of a WTO biotechnology working committee to recommend if genetically modified food needs to have special regulations in a trade deal.
- Demands that CFA representatives be involved throughout the
negotiation.
