Government Tables Bill to Approve First Free Trade Deal in Six Years

(The Canadian Press)

The federal government says it will introduce legislation today [Monday] to approve a free trade agreement with four small European nations. The deal, the first comprehensive free trade agreement Canada has negotiated in six years, was negotiated last year and went through a 21-day opening for debate in the House of Commons without discussion.

Canadian two-way trade with the countries that make up the European Free Trade Association – Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland – is estimated at $11 billion annually.

Trade Minister David Emerson trumpeted the deal last summer as a directional change for Canada, and vowed more deals in the future. But although the government has pursued negotiations with several countries, including Colombia and South Korea, none have been concluded since. The talks with Colombia and South Korea have met stiff resistance from opposition parties and affected industries and unions.