Fixed election dates,

[Jay-mo]

Just checking but Norway's not in the Pacific right??

[TOM4CWB]

Jay-mo,

A LITTLE funny... and ironic.. since Canada already has a Bi-lateral Free Trade agreement with Norway.... since 2009!

"Canada - European Free Trade Association (EFTA)
In force since July 2009.

The free trade agreement (FTA) between Canada and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland is a goods-only agreement with an emphasis on tariff elimination. It establishes a commitment to review the Agreement with a view to considering the scope for possible expansion of the FTA into areas such as services, investment, and intellectual property at a later date.

For more information, please see: additional background information on the Canada-European Free Trade Association Free Trade Agreement.

Bilateral Agreements
Text of the Canada-EFTA Free Trade Agreement"

[dmlfarmer]

Actually Tom, the Canada/EFTA was a Liberal initiative started in 1998. It did conclude as you point out under Harper in 2007 and enacted in 2009.

But seeing as you credit this to Harper, I want to know the impact this has had in the last 6 years. How much have tariff rates actually dropped? How much has our exports to the EFTA countries increased since 2009? What has been the actual economic benefits for Canada from this deal?

[Braveheart]

One has to think, no matter who was governing at the time, that Canada is pretty well positioned re trade. We have NAFTA, the Euro deal, now TPP. Is any other country as well set?

[Jay-mo]

The Americans and Russians are still ahead of us, what with their ability to bomb a country into the stone age and appoint a new government.

[LEP]

Anyone remember other free trade agreement negotiations, gatt, etc. They all involve years of negotiation and all nighters at the end to finalize.

To say Canada could set the final dealing date of a 12 nation agreement is a complete joke.

If anything I think the conservatives would have preferred to have this done last winter so it could be passed prior to the election.

[LEP]

Anyone remember other free trade agreement negotiations, gatt, etc. They all involve years of negotiation and all nighters at the end to finalize.

To say Canada could set the final dealing date of a 12 nation agreement is a complete joke.

If anything I think the conservatives would have preferred to have this done last winter so it could be passed prior to the election.