With eyes on a possible free trade deal, the federal government wants to hear from Canadians on their views and experiences dealing with the kingdom of Jordan.
A call for consultations, issued Monday, stems from talks in July between Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Jordan’s King Abdullah II, where the two countries agreed to study the feasibility of a free trade agreement (FTA).
Canada exported $32 million in goods on average per year between 2000 and 2004, followed by $122.5 million (mostly on a single aircraft deal) in 2005 and $56.3 million in 2006. Its largest exports are forest products, agri-food, machinery and auto parts. Canada imported $14.6 million in goods from Jordan in 2006, mostly clothes, textiles, food and electrical machinery.
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Specifically, Ottawa wants to hear Canadians’ opinions on “areas of export interest” that might benefit from Jordan dropping any tariffs or trade barriers, along with any advice, views or experiences dealing with customs or immigration issues for business travellers or commercial goods, and views on other matters such as the environment, workers’ rights, social concerns and competition policy.
Contributions are accepted by e-mail at [email protected].
Canada is already in free trade talks with the Central America Four (El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua), the European Free Trade Association (Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, Liechtenstein), South Korea, Singapore, the Dominican Republic, the Andean Community (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela) and the Caribbean Community, along with talks toward the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas, which involves 34 North and South American countries.
Crop and commodity groups have urged Ottawa in recent years to step up its efforts on bilateral trade deals with other countries or trade blocs, rather than focus largely on World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations.
The groups say other nations, such as the U.S., are busily signing bilaterals that could leave Canadian ag exports subject to unfavourable tariffs in markets where Canadian products have until now held substantial shares.
