Despite months of tension between Ottawa and Washington over international issues and the invasion of Iraq, there was no sign of anti-Canadian sentiment from American politicians who spent the May long weekend meeting their counterparts, says one of the Canadians at the meeting.
Ontario liberal MP Bob Speller said there was no indication the dispute between the two countries has hardened political attitudes against Canada. He was part of the Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group that met May 15-19.
“It was totally a non-factor,” Speller said. “They understand that we make our own decisions as a country.”
Read Also
Geopolitics can change trade routes
WHISTLER, B.C. — Today’s geopolitical tensions could have dire long-term consequences, says the director of international policy at the University…
But that doesn’t mean the agricultural discussions went smoothly all the time.
Senators and members of Congress from the U.S. locked horns with MPs and senators from Canada over issues such as the Canadian Wheat Board, trade policy, farm subsidies and U.S. plans to introduce mandatory country-of-origin labelling next year.
Speller and Minnesota member of Congress Collin Peterson will head a committee that will try to organize a meeting between Canadian and American farm groups on the labelling issue.
The Canadian MP said some of the Americans also conceded that their level of farm subsidy is unsustainable, both because of the cost and the impact on trade talks.
“There’s no question they recognize the subsidy programs are not sustainable in the long term and some changes will have to be made, maybe after trade talks,” said Speller. “But they’re not going to say it, at least publicly. Their constituents are watching them.”
The politicians from both sides of the border also agreed that a group of them will study possible dispute settlement procedures to deal with cross-border trade flare-ups such as complaints over wheat and cattle trade or threats of border closings.
And they suggested the two countries work together to develop negotiating principles that both countries can use as World Trade Organization talks continue.
The Canada-U.S. political meeting is an annual event, alternating between the two countries.
