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Tag Archives World Trade Organization

News

Can China be trusted on trade?

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China is an important export customer for Canadian agricultural products, but can it be trusted? After the arbitrary arrest in December 2018 of two Canadians, Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, many Canadians would answer no. China using non-tariff trade barriers to cut back on Canadian canola seed, soybean and pork imports in 2019-20, added to
“Agriculture has to be in the centre of the relaunch of our economy... “ – Marie-Claude Bibeau.
News

Agriculture seen as engine of recovery for Canada

Bibeau touts more exports, regional supply chains and processing

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Minister of Agriculture Marie-Claude Bibeau says Canadian agriculture will be the “powerhouse of the economy” as the country recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, pointing to specific opportunities for the industry to grow. During a virtual “fireside chat” at the International Economic Forum of the America’s Toronto event on Oct. 27, Bibeau expressed optimism over export
To counter the growing prevalence of nationalistic policies, Canada is leading supportive countries in a WTO reform effort known as the Ottawa Group.
News

Uncertainty in global markets continues with pandemic

Protectionist policies could exacerbate food insecurity globally

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The impact of COVID-19’s second wave is continuing to cause uncertainty in global markets. According to the World Trade Organization (WTO), between October 2019 and May 2020, G20 economies implemented 154 new trade or related measures, finding 95 to be trade facilitating and 59 as trade restrictive. “In the early stages of the pandemic, several
Op/Ed, Opinion

Opinion: Canada’s work to reform WTO is a good sign

As nations turn inward the global order is being upended

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Canada’s efforts to reform the World Trade Organization are commendable. It is apparent more countries are deciding to turn inwards rather than focusing on multilateral trade relationships. The United States, India, Italy and others have all taken actions domestically that have negatively impacted Canadian farmers. Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance (CAFTA) executive director Claire Citeau was
News

U.S. causing ‘trying times’ for trade

The U.S. is among the nations leading an inward turn around the globe

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A recent virtual summit focusing on managing agri- cultural trade in an increasingly chaotic world focused largely on recent actions taken by the United States. Hosted by the Farm Foundation and the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute (CAPI), the conference brought together trade experts from various backgrounds to discuss issues of trade on July 8. Joe
A pedestrian crossing in front of the World Trade Organization headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland in 2019.
News

Trade woes prompt ministerial discussion

Bibeau speaks to EU counterpart as WTO reports stark trade drop

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Trade – or the lack of it – was at the top of the agenda during a June 23 discussion between federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau and her European Union counterpart, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Janusz Wojciechowski. According to the federal government, the two discussed the importance of the Canada-EU relationship and reiterated
A question often coming into sharp focus is the cost of becoming overly reliant on China as a trading partner.
Editorial, Op/Ed

Editor’s Take: China is our greatest ‘frenemy’

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In recent years it has become increasingly apparent that China makes its own rules when it comes to trade. Its 2002 membership in the World Trade Organization is an excellent example. The rest of the world agreed to give China open access to markets, ostensibly in exchange for similar access to China’s. One can hardly
An Australian farmer unloads barley at a farm near Gunnedah, 275 miles northwest of Sydney.
News

Australian barley farmers, Canadian canola growers share Chinese nemesis

China is Australia’s biggest malting barley market, but Chinese tariffs will all but stop Australian barley imports. Sound familiar?

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Australian barley farmers and Canadian canola producers are on opposite sides of the world, but share a common blight: China, once their best customer is now a hostile adversary, accused of letting geopolitical goals sideline international trade rules. May 19 China, which accounts for two-thirds of Australia’s malting barley exports, imposed an 80.5 per cent
Qu Dongyu.
News

Pandemic a threat to global food supply: FAO

Supply chains are the weakest link and require massive collaboration

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The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) says COVID-19 is a threat to global food security that must be mitigated by ensuring supply chains are not disrupted. Agriculture ministers from G20 countries held a joint meeting, where FAO director general Qu Dongyu said preserving access to safe food and nutrition is an essential health response to the pandemic. “We need to

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