MONTREAL -- Canadian International Trade Minister Ed Fast said the Ottawa will fight provisions of an U.S. farm law that is hurting Canada's meat producing industry.
Fast called a country-of-origin labelling requirement for meat (COOL) in legislation signed last week in Michigan by President Barack Obama as "counterproductive."
The provisions first introduced in 2008 requires all packaged meat to identify where the animal is born, raised and slaughtered. Supporters said it better informs consumers, while opponents argue that segregating animals and tracking them adds costs, and violates free-trade agreements.
Fast says the legislation undermines North American supply chains and costs the Canadian pork, beef and cattle industry about $1 billion a year. An insistence on country-of-origin labels is blamed for reducing Canadian meat exports to the U.S. by half, as some US companies have said they can't afford to sort, label and store meat from Canada differently than meat from domestic animals.
The Harper government has said it will consider retaliatory measures and will try to enforce a prior WTO ruling that backed Canada's position.
The next step will be a hearing on Feb. 18 at the World Trade Organization.
"We are going to do everything we can to defend and promote Canada's interests, not only on the international stage but in our bilateral relationships," Fast said in an interview Monday after speaking to the Montreal Council on Foreign Relations. "Now we want to make sure that the United States complies with the ruling of the World Trade Organization."
Fast refused to comment, however, on an internal battle - particularly among Democrats in Congress - over extending fast-track negotiating authority to the president in negotiating international trade deals. The authority would only allow Congress to approve or reject deals and prevents elected officials from amending or filibustering such agreements.
"I'm not going to comment on internal U.S. politics. We are focused on controlling the things that we can control, which is to strongly defend and promote Canadian interests at the negotiating table, with a view to concluding an agreement that is in Canada's best interests."
Earlier in his speech, the minister urged Quebecers to prepare to take advantage of a federal trade deal, signed last fall with the European Union, before it is ratified.
"Don't wait until this agreement comes into force in two years. Prepare and position yourselves now to benefit from an agreement that will provide dramatically improved access to a market of 500 million well-off consumers," said Fast.
