Canada on the Hunt for Trade

(Tom Ford — Winnipeg Free Press)

When they were in the backyard garden of 10 Downing Street in London this month, British Prime Minister David Cameron told Prime Minister Stephen Harper something of significance, but which did not get much publicity. Cameron endorsed a proposed Canada-European Union trade agreement.

Canada wants Britain’s backing on our trade negotiations with the EU because we desperately need more places in which to sell our goods and services. As my sainted mother used to say: “You’ll have a big problem if you have too many eggs in one basket.”

At present, Canada has two major baskets: our domestic market and the United States, far and away our biggest export market. The Canadian market is frisky right now, but economists see it slowing late this year or early next. America is still having problems climbing out of the hole its grasping bankers pitched it in 2008.

Many Canadians don’t know about our trade initiative with the EU. But it’s “the most ambitious trade agreement we’ve ever had,” federal Trade Minister Peter Van Loan says. About 60 Canadian officials have been huddled in talks with their European counterparts in Ottawa’s former city hall, beside the Rideau River. Read more here.