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ARTICLE · 18 JUNE 2012

Tough Choices Ahead For Harper's Trade Strategy

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The first big test for Prime Minister Harper’s ambitious trade negotiations agenda will come late this year with the expected climax of the negotiations between Canada and the EU.

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Previously published in iPOLITICS on June 8, 2012.

The first big test for Prime Minister Harper's ambitious trade negotiations agenda will come late this year with the expected climax of the negotiations between Canada and the EU. The outcome will determine the credibility of the government's trade agenda.

The Harper government has put major emphasis on its ambitious trade negotiations agenda as a cornerstone of its Jobs and Growth Strategy. The list of countries with which Canada is negotiating free trade agreements or actively trying to deepen economic relations is breathtaking. Negotiations are underway with a range of countries including the European Union, Japan, India and Korea, as well as Morocco and a group of Caribbean nations. The government is seeking admission to the TransPacific Partnership negotiations involving the United States and 8 other Pacific states, and is working to deepen trade and economic relationships with China.

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