The top U.S. diplomat in Canada is wading into the debate over whether Ottawa is negotiating in good faith at major Pacific Rim trade talks, saying this country must come to the table as soon as possible with concrete proposals to offer foreign farmers more access to its heavily protected dairy and poultry sector.
The United States has been publicly prodding Canada to reveal its cards on what kind of farm trade concessions it will make at the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations as talks intensify, saying Ottawa has made no meaningful offer on this topic. It is a sensitive matter for Canada’s Conservative government, which is heading to the polls in a matter of months and could face a political backlash from milk and poultry farmers.
Trade Minister Ed Fast has rebuffed Washington, accusing the Americans of trying to negotiate through the media and saying he will not play that game.
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