MP Vic Toews held a roundtable recently with representatives from Manitoba’s important agriculture and agri-food sector to highlight the benefits a Canada-EU trade and economic agreement would generate for Canadian workers and their families.
“Our government’s number-one priority remains the economy, and a comprehensive trade agreement with the European Union is a key part of our pro-trade plan to open new markets and help create jobs, growth and long-term prosperity,” said Minister Toews. “Deeper trade with the EU will bring benefits to various sectors of Manitoba’s economy, especially to the more than 23,000 hard-working Manitobans and their families that depend on our world-class agriculture sector for their livelihoods.”
“One in five Canadian jobs are generated by opening new markets to Canadian exports,” said the Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway. “That is why our government is undertaking the most ambitious trade expansion plan in Canadian history, which includes a comprehensive, next generation trade agreement with the European Union. A trade agreement with the European Union is expected to bring a 20-percent boost in bilateral trade and a $12-billion annual increase to Canada’s economy. That translates to an increase of $1,000 to the average Canadian family’s income, or 80,000 new jobs.”
The EU is Canada’s second-largest trading partner and the world’s largest integrated economy, with more than 500 million consumers and a GDP of over $17 trillion. The ongoing trade negotiations with the EU represent Canada’s most significant trade initiative since the historic North American Free Trade Agreement.
