Francois-Philippe Champagne, shown here last month in a holiday video message to constituents, has been named federal minister for international trade. (FPChampagne.liberal.ca)

Trade lawyer named federal trade minister

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s latest mini-cabinet shuffle puts a Quebec lawyer specializing in international trade into the trade minister’s chair. Trudeau on Tuesday appointed Francois-Philippe Champagne, the rookie MP for the Shawinigan-area riding of Saint-Maurice-Champlain, as minister of international trade, replacing Chrystia Freeland. Freeland, as widely expected leading up to Tuesday’s announcement, becomes minister of […] Read more

CCA Report: Trade front and centre

CCA Report: Trade front and centre

From the December 2016 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) has long understood the important role of trade and market access in securing long-term competitiveness for the beef industry. We have expended much time and money over many years to ensure trade pacts produce meaningful results for beef producers and enable trade to flow unimpeded. As important as securing the […] Read more


(Europa.eu)

EU, Canada to hold trade summit Sunday

Brussels | Reuters –– The European Union and Canada will hold a summit to sign their free trade deal on Sunday, European Council President Donald Tusk said on Friday, after Belgium had cleared the agreement with its regional governments. “Mission accomplished! Just agreed with PM @JustinTrudeau to hold EU Canada Summit this Sunday,” Tusk said […] Read more

CCA Report: More market access for Canadian beef

From the October 24, 2016 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

There have been a number of great successes in breaking down barriers in international markets recently that beef producers should take stock of. In September, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met in Ottawa with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and announced that China will allow bone-in Canadian beef from cattle under 30 months of age (UTM) effective […] Read more



(EC.europa.eu)

German court rejects bid to block Canada-EU trade deal

Berlin/Ottawa | Reuters –– Germany’s Constitutional Court cleared the government on Thursday to approve a free trade accord between the European Union and Canada under defined conditions, boosting the agreement’s chances of passing an EU vote next week. However, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made clear he was losing patience with the EU over the […] Read more


(Cia.gov)

China raps Ottawa as dispute over canola exports deepens

Ottawa | Reuters — A dispute over $2 billion worth of Canadian canola exports to China intensified on Thursday when Beijing criticized Ottawa’s insistence that bilateral relations could not improve until the matter is settled. The situation threatens to mar Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s visit to China next week. “We oppose linking a concrete […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canola Council of Canada)

Canada, China canola talks end without deal

Winnipeg | Reuters — Talks between Canadian and Chinese officials ended in Beijing without China backing down from plans to toughen its inspection standard for canola, threatening $2 billion in Canadian exports of the oilseed ahead of a visit by Canada’s prime minister. Discussions will continue between the two governments, and resolving the issue is […] Read more



CCA Report: Our business goes on as usual

From the November 2015 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) congratulates Prime Minister-elect Justin Trudeau, and the Liberal Party of Canada (LPC) for their convincing win in the October 19 federal election. The CCA looks forward to working closely with the new government. As I write this column, the new cabinet had yet to be announced but the CCA hopes […] Read more