Jobs for the future - CPC looks forward (en francais)

Good article in the Toronto Star (?) by Ted Menzies, Official Opposition critic for International and Internal Trade and Conservative party MP for the Alberta riding of Macleod. Keep this stuff coming guys - I love it!

Free-trade pacts can boost Toronto

India, for example, is a vast marketplace with a middle-income population of more than 250 million rich with potential for those who can bridge cultural and linguistic differences. With the largest South Asian community in Ontario and more than 100 languages and cultures represented, Toronto has the tools to expand trade with Asia-Pacific markets such as India.

There is no question that our trade with Japan and India is functioning far below its potential. There is scope to significantly increase exports to these Asian economies in a number of sectors.

Despite the fact that Canada and Japan are already committed to free trade by 2010 under APEC, it is already 2005 and the federal government has not begun negotiations. In fact, StatsCan reported in May that Canadian trade to Japan has tumbled 11.4 per cent since the same month last year, a trend that has seen exports to Japan decline steadily since the 1990s, resulting in trade deficits of more than $6.6 billion a year.

The Conservative party believes that a bold vision is needed for our future economic relationships in Japan and India, one that elevates our traditional relations onto a strategic plane by securing free market ties with Canada's democratic and economic partners in the Asia-Pacific.

Conservative Party of Canada Policy Statement - Trade

39. International Trade
In an increasing competitive global economy, trade remains the key to future prosperity in Canada.

Many Canadian jobs depend heavily upon foreign markets. Those jobs are placed in jeopardy when other nations make it difficult for our exporters to sell their products.

i) A Conservative Government will bring more security to existing trade related jobs. To create new employment opportunities, our trade agenda will focus on diversifying both the products we sell abroad and the markets into which we sell those products. A Conservative Government will secure access to international markets through a rules based trading system. A Conservative Government will strive to maximize the benefits we have as a free trading nation, emphasizing the need to establish trading relationships beyond North America.

ii) In future rounds of trade negotiations, a Conservative Government will vigorously pursue reduction of international trade barriers and tariffs. A Conservative Government will pursue the elimination of trade-distorting government export subsidies within clearly established time limits. A Conservative Government will seek a clear definition of what constitutes an export subsidy.

iii) A Conservative Government would move to find new markets for Canadian goods and services by emphasizing development of trade ties with emerging markets.

iv) In recognition of freshwater as a critical resource to the future of Canadians, the Conservative Party believes that there should be an investigation into the security of our long term freshwater resources as they pertain to exportation as a commodity.