Anand says Conservatives ‘grasping at straws,’ insists Canada will diversify trade partners

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand on PM Carney’s foreign policy, Trump’s film tariff threat, G7 trade deals, and how new strategies will benefit Canadians.

Despite criticisms from Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre that the Liberals are failing to achieve tangible results from their international trips, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand insists Canada is leveraging those trips to diversify its trading partners.

“Let me be clear, I don’t begrudge anyone as a leader for reaching out and building ties, but it’s just that you don’t get any results,” Poilievre said in a video posted to social media on Sunday. “In fact, you have the reverse Midas touch.”

In a separate social media post Sunday night, Poilievre pointed to Chinese levies on Canadian canola, ongoing U.S. tariffs despite concessions by Canada in the trade war, and a U.K. policy banning the import of certain beef products — including from Canada — as examples Liberal government trips that haven’t yielded results.

“Grip-and-grin photo ops in grand salons are the illusion,” Poilievre also wrote in a social media post on Sunday. “Look at the results.”

In an interview on CTV Power Play with Vassy Kapelos airing Monday, when asked about Poilievre’s criticisms, Anand said the Conservatives are “grasping at straws.”

“Canada is the only G7 country that has a free-trade agreement with every other G7 country. We have strong trade relationships,” Anand said. “What we are doing is enhancing already existing strong trade relationships by making sure that we’re leveraging our international relationships.”

She also said international trade relationships are “complex,” but that Canada is “on good footing.”

“Work, of course, has been ongoing, but in this moment of time, what you are seeing from Prime Minister Mark Carney and our broader team is that we are doubling down on the efforts to expand our trade relationships, and that is what you will continue to see,” Anand added.

Anand addressed the United Nations General Assembly on Monday, in a speech that outlined the Carney government’s three-prong foreign policy: defence and security, economic resilience and core values.

One of Carney’s cornerstone election promises was to diversify export markets to help insulate the Canadian economy from an over-reliance on the United States.

When pressed on what tangible results the government has achieved, especially when the latest GDP numbers show the economy contracted by 1.6 per cent in the second quarter, Anand said Canada will ensure its trade agreements “benefit Canadian businesses and Canadian workers.”

“What you need to do in building a strong foundation and diversified trade relationships is continue to pursue those relationships, not retreat,” Anand said.

When asked again about measurable results — and Canada’s historic overreliance on the United States despite having several other international trade agreements in place — Anand pointed to the vast percentage of Canada-U.S. trade that is covered by the current trade deal.

“I want to stress that changing the composition of a trading relationship does not occur overnight,” she said. “We have work to do to ensure that we’re leveraging the free trade agreements that we have signed, again, the only G7 country that has such extensive trade agreements across the board.”

“And, we’ll work to ensure that Canadian businesses are cognizant of those trade relationships that already exist,” she added. “But you’re going to see us continue to sign additional new agreements with other partners.”

Anand pointed to recent talks between Canada and the European Union, and an agreement signed with Indonesia last week, adding she’ll be travelling to India, Singapore, and China in the next few weeks.

The foreign affairs minister insisted the Liberals are “not letting (their) foot off the gas,” and promised they will “continue to ensure that there are markers of the success,” while adding change takes time.

You can watch Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand’s full interview on CTV Power Play with Vassy Kapelos in the video player at the top of this article.