Agricultural Producers Need the Government to Speak up | May 20, 2021
Ottawa, ON – Tracy Gray, Conservative Shadow Minister for Export Promotion and International Trade, and Luc Berthold, Conservative Shadow Minister for the Treasury Board, issued the following statement calling on the Trudeau government to address barriers affecting Canadian agriculture and agri-food producers during upcoming negotiations on a new Canada-United Kingdom trade agreement:
“The Liberal government had years to work on a new Canada-UK trade agreement before the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) expired at the end of 2020. Unfortunately, they left negotiations to the eleventh hour. As a result, their interim rollover trade agreement failed to address existing non-tariff trade barriers between our two countries.
“The non-tariff barriers and market access restrictions faced by Canadian agricultural producers through CETA continue to be obstacles for local farmers to get their products to UK markets. What we’ve heard from our agricultural producers is clear – the rollover of the CETA provisions in the present Canada-UK Trade Continuity Agreement is not acceptable for the long term.
“The United Kingdom is a major export market in Europe for many of our agricultural producers, and ensuring a beneficial agreement where Canadian producers can maximize their export potential is essential.
“The UK has already announced that they will be starting public and targeted consultations on this future trade agreement. Canada must do the same. That is why Canada’s Conservatives are calling on the Liberals and Minister Ng to have comprehensive and dedicated consultations with our agricultural producers and exporters on the many barriers and market access issues they face.
“Only Canada’s Conservatives are working to secure the many jobs in our agriculture industry Canadians depend on to provide for their families. Conservatives will ensure Canadians’ goods can get to market.”