Ottawa’s new commerce minister says he is trying to signal offers in South America, Southeast Asia, Africa and past — and to persuade companies to truly use the commerce agreements Canada has already signed.
“My main position as Canada’s high salesman is to be on the market hustling, opening doorways for companies and accessing new markets,” Maninder Sidhu informed The Canadian Press.
“My cellphone has been ringing with alternatives as a result of individuals need to cope with dependable, steady buying and selling companions.”
Prime Minister Mark Carney has tasked Dominic LeBlanc because the minister answerable for Canada-U.S. commerce. Sidhu’s job focuses on nations aside from the U.S.
Export Improvement Canada says Ottawa has 15 free commerce agreements masking 51 nations, providing Canadian exporters preferential entry to over 1.5 billion shoppers.
WATCH | Trump will increase tariff on Canada to 35%, White Home says:
Trump will increase tariff on Canada to 35%, White Home says
U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an government order rising tariffs on Canadian items that do not meet the phrases of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Settlement to 35 per cent.
However Sidhu mentioned Canadian companies could possibly be doing much more to look past the U.S., notably as Washington threatens and imposes a variety of tariffs.
4 years inside World Affairs Canada
Sidhu served 4 years as a parliamentary secretary in roles reflecting all three branches of World Affairs Canada: help, commerce and diplomacy.
The job noticed him characterize Canada in commerce promotion occasions in Southeast Asia and safety boards within the Caribbean.
Earlier than politics, he labored as a customs dealer, a job that focuses on navigating pink tape and tariffs to safe one of the best price for buying and selling items.
Sidhu mentioned he plans to go to Brazil quickly because the South American nation seeks to revive commerce talks that kicked off in 2018 between the Mercosur commerce bloc and Canada.
Smaller commerce delegations
His predecessor Mary Ng emphasised giant commerce missions that took months to plan. The minister would typically fill a airplane with company and enterprise leaders, spending a considerable chunk of time in a single or two nations.
Sidhu mentioned he’s hoping to carry smaller delegations of corporations with him on his journeys overseas, with a concentrate on particular sectors, “whether or not it is South America, Indo-Pacific to Europe, to Africa.”
“Companies really feel like they’re heard, however they’re additionally getting higher-level conferences on the alternative aspect within the nations that we take them into,” he mentioned.
Ottawa is navigating its commerce ties with China as the 2 nations work to revive the decades-old Joint Financial and Commerce Fee, a discussion board to kind out commerce irritants.
This photograph illustration options Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, and Chinese language President Xi Jinping. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press, Minh Hoang/The Related Press)
China has been roundly accused of partaking in coercive commerce practices and of proscribing sure commodities or providers like tourism throughout political disagreements with Ottawa.
Sidhu mentioned the objective there may be to supply “stability” to business, with an emphasis on “how will we work by way of these challenges, and the way will we be sure that these conversations are facilitated.”
Sidhu additionally downplayed the possibilities of a bilateral commerce cope with the UK. Commerce talks collapsed final yr over the U.Okay.’s want to promote extra cheese in Canada and after Britain blocked Canadian hormone-treated beef.
Each nations are utilizing a brief deal put in place after Britain left the European Union, and the U.Okay. will quickly enter a commerce bloc that focuses on the Pacific Rim, Sidhu famous. He mentioned Canada would nonetheless be open to a full deal.
U.Okay. Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomes Carney to 10 Downing Road in London on March 17. (Alberto Pezzali/The Related Press)
“If U.Okay. and Canadian companies have already got entry on 99 per cent of the gadgets that we commerce, then if we’re commerce agreements, we have to be sure that we’re getting one of the best worth for our negotiations,” Sidhu mentioned.
He additionally mentioned Canada may take into account “sector-specific agreements” with different nations, as a substitute of complete offers that span most industries.
“We’re getting very artistic in how we are able to open up extra doorways.”
Canada-India commerce
Sidhu didn’t title particular nations with which Canada may pursue sector-specific agreements.
Canada had been a commerce settlement with India that may be restricted to sure sectors — earlier than Ottawa suspended talks in 2023 following an assassination the RCMP has linked to New Delhi.
Ottawa launched safety talks with India this spring and agreed to re-establish excessive commissioners.
Sidhu was circumspect when requested when Canada may re-establish commerce talks with India.
“It is a step-by-step method,” he mentioned, including that the eventual return of high envoys will assist “to hold out these crucial conversations.”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, left, and Carney shake fingers on the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Alta., on June 17. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press)
Sidhu mentioned World Affairs Canada remains to be checking out how Carney’s determination to chop spending in all departments will have an effect on the commerce department.
“It is actually going to be a centered method of the place we are able to make one of the best influence,” Sidhu mentioned.
The Enterprise Council of Canada has urged Ottawa to increase the variety of commerce commissioners, who present the contacts on the bottom for Canadian corporations searching for export alternatives.
Whereas Sidhu didn’t say whether or not Ottawa’s cuts will imply fewer commerce commissioners, he mentioned he is heard a transparent message from chambers of commerce that these positions are extraordinarily worthwhile.
“It comes all the way down to return on investments, what applications are working (and) the place can we get one of the best bang for our buck for Canadian business and Canadian staff,” he mentioned.
“Plenty of the enterprise neighborhood would not even know that (the Commerce Commissioner Service) is there to assist. And so my job is to assist amplify that.”
