“There’s a question of whether the public can be persuaded that this is a good idea. So there are certainly pros and cons.”<\/p>\n
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- Liberals try to tamp fears on possible trade deal with China<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
- China sees free trade with Canada as way to avoid future Norsat-like uncertainty<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n
- Listen to CBC Radio’s The House<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
But the former immigration minister-turned-diplomat wouldn’t say whether he believes the positives outweigh the negatives.<\/p>\n
“Well, I’m not going to say that. I’m working for the government. I’m part of the discussions leading up to a decision. What I’m saying is there’s a strong case for, but there are also arguments against,” he said.<\/p>\n
\n ‘China’s preference would be to do a simple free trade agreement’<\/span>
\n – John McCallum<\/span>, Canadian ambassador to China<\/cite>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\nIt will be up to cabinet\u00a0to decide whether or not to start negotiating a free trade deal with China, and McCallum said “we’re talking more than weeks” on a decision.<\/p>\n
Officials from both countries have held several meetings since exploratory talks were formally launched earlier this year.<\/p>\n
McCallum said the two countries are getting along “extremely well” so far.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
“It’s all cylinders firing in terms of moving ahead on many fronts with China because it’s really good for Canadian jobs,” he said. “We want to pursue stronger ties with China, but with our eyes wide open. We understand there are issues there.”<\/p>\n
2 countries, 2 priorities\u00a0<\/h2>\n
While accepting an award in New York City this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reiterated the need for progressive trade deals<\/a>, with chapters on labour mobility and gender equality.<\/p>\n
“These are not the kinds of things China itself would put on the table,” McCallum said. “China’s preference would be to do a simple free trade agreement.”<\/p>\n
![\"Cda](\"https:\/\/i.cbc.ca\/1.4226840.1501519129!\/cpImage\/httpImage\/image.jpg_gen\/derivatives\/original_620\/cda-china-trade-20170307.jpg\")
<\/p>\nPrime Minister Trudeau hosted Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Montreal last September. (Ryan Remiorz\/Canadian Press)<\/p>\n
A document obtained by CBC News this summer shows the government has been confronting long-standing concerns from business and other stakeholders<\/a>, including issues related to intellectual property rights, transparency, the bulk sale of water and human rights.<\/p>\n
At the time, Canada’s former ambassador to China, David Mulroney, called the documents a “sales job” and was especially critical of how the government was addressing human rights concerns.<\/p>\n
“It’s not a strategy;\u00a0it’s just ‘don’t worry we raise it.’ And that’s not enough,” Mulroney said.<\/p>\n
- China sees free trade with Canada as way to avoid future Norsat-like uncertainty<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n