With speculation swirling late last year about agricultural implications if Canada joins Pacific Rim trade talks, Agriculture Canada officials were suggesting privately that Canada keep its eye on the European ball.
In preparation for a November 2011 meeting between deputy agriculture minister John Knubley and his trade department counterpart Louis Lévesque, departmental officials prepared a briefing note for Knubley noting that unless Japan is involved, a Trans-Pacific Partnership deal that Canada wants into would not mean much for agriculture.
“Most of Canada’s agriculture and agri-food trade with the current TPP membership would be covered by our existing free trade agreements with the United States, Peru and Chile,” the background briefing note said.
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As well, there was also an expectation that Canada would resist demands from TPP members New Zealand, Australia and the United States to dismantle supply management protectionism.
Meanwhile, ongoing trade negotiations with the European Union hold far more potential for the food sector, said the briefing note.
It also said Canada wants European concessions on non-tariff barriers that have kept many Canadian products out of European markets be-cause of restrictions on genetically modified seeds and hormone-treated beef.
A separate briefing note said the Canada-EU trade talks would not be successful for agriculture without European concessions.
