Opening New Markets for Canadian Merchandise, Services, Expertise and Investment

In 2014 nearly 78% of Canadian exports (by value) went to the United States; by contrast only 11% went to Asia, 8% to Europe, 1.6% to Latin America and 1% to Africa.[1]  Over the twenty-nine years since the Canada-US Free Trade Agreement was signed, Canadian exports of goods and services to the United States have more than quadrupled.  Today the fastest-growing and most affluent new markets are in Asia and Europe.  Given recent trade agreements with the Pacific Alliance in Latin America, as well as the prospect of a Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and major bilateral or multilateral agreements in Asia, there is now a significant opportunity to increase the scale and quality of Canadian exports and investment on all continents.

 

As Leader of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister of Canada I would:

 

(i)             set a goal of 50% of Canadian exports outside North America by 2050;

 

(ii)           ratify, promote and implement CETA as quickly as possible;

 

(iii)          invite the United Kingdom to join an enlarged NAFTA;

 

(iv)          champion the Trans Pacific Partnership, if necessary with reduced participation;

 

(v)           complete modern, bilateral, comprehensive stand-alone free trade agreements with Japan, India, Australia and New Zealand;

 

(vi)          expand Canada’s trade promotion and trade finance network;

 

(vii)        strongly promote Canadian creative, cultural, design, educational and gaming exports;

 

(viii)       with leading Canadian firms, establish global networks of excellence in quantum computing; robotics and automation; artificial intelligence; space and aerospace; biotechnology; clean-tech; advanced transportation; advanced mining and materials; data management, privacy and the internet of things;

 

(ix)          make free trade with China conditional on progress towards freedom of speech, free markets, democracy and human rights; and

 

(x)           in partnership with Canadian exporters and investors, take a regional approach to Canadian diplomacy, development and security assistance, as well as institution-building in Africa, South Asia, the Middle East and the Caribbean.

 

[1] World Trade Organization, International Trade Statistics 2015, p 48.

Alexandra Day