Lawrence Herman
The Globe and Mail reports, “Trade Minister Ed Fast talks a good line about Canada’s chances of getting on board the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade deal. But some trade experts say the bid is looking increasingly like a long-shot. ‘It’s likely going no-where, even though Ed Fast has been going all around the Asia-Pacific region, touting Canadian participation,’ said Lawrence Herman, a trade lawyer with Cassels Brock in Toronto.”
Obstacles to Canada joining the TPP:
1. “The main stumbling block for Canada is the tight year-end deadline set by the United States and the eight other current TPP members for completing negotiations. …U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk told reporters in Washington Tuesday that he’s focused above all on getting a deal with the original TPP partners (the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Chile, Peru, Vietnam, Singapore Malaysia and Brunei), who began a week-long round of negotiations in Dallas this week.”
2. “Canada challenge is that its entry is tied to bids by Japan and Mexico to join, Mr. Herman suggested. Either they all get in or none of them do, he said.”
3. “Mr. Herman pointed out that Canada’s problem isn’t just tricky timing. It’s also substance. He said the country’s ‘unacceptable’ delay in passing copyright reform legislation and its ‘shameful to-the-wall defence’ of the protected dairy and poultry industries is causing resistance.”
The Council of Canadians is opposed to Canada joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership. To read our critique on this free trade pact, go to http://canadians.org/tpp.
The Globe and Mail article can be read at http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/economy/economy-lab/daily-mix/canadas-bid-to-join-pacific-trade-pact-faces-long-odds/article2427521/.
