Economic Experts Tell Summit That Greater Urgency on Trade Issues Needed

Urgency on trade certainty and diversification was a key message economic experts emphasized at a Public Policy Forum conference Thursday.

Speaking at the Canada Growth Summit in Toronto, CIBC chief economist Avery Shenfeld said the government is doing the right things, but that it’s important not to slow-walk the process given the risks.

Steve Verheul, former chief trade negotiator for Canada, said he sees the trade negotiations with the U.S. as still far apart, and that it’s important to move faster.

Louise Blais, Quebec’s representative for the renewal of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement, said that while she understands the strategic approach to go slow on negotiations, businesses can’t wait.

She says companies like furniture makers are failing because of the impasse, and the trade barriers risk creating a lost generation of businesses because of the many pressures.

Several cabinet ministers including Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne and Industry Minister Mélanie Joly are set to speak at the summit Thursday.