Ottawa’s new commerce minister says he’s trying to signal offers in South America, Southeast Asia, Africa and past — and to persuade companies to truly use the commerce agreements Canada has already signed.
“My major position as Canada’s prime salesman is to be on the market hustling, opening doorways for companies and accessing new markets,” Maninder Sidhu advised The Canadian Press.
“My cellphone has been ringing with alternatives as a result of individuals need to cope with dependable, steady buying and selling companions.”
Prime Minister Mark Carney has tasked Dominic LeBlanc as minister answerable for Canada-U.S. commerce. Sidhu’s job focuses on nations aside from the U.S.
Export Growth Canada says Ottawa has 15 free commerce agreements overlaying 51 nations, providing Canadian exporters preferential entry to over 1.5 billion shoppers.
However Sidhu mentioned Canadian companies may very well be doing much more to look past the U.S., significantly as Washington threatens and imposes a spread of tariffs.
Sidhu served 4 years as a parliamentary secretary in roles reflecting all three branches of International Affairs Canada: assist, commerce and diplomacy.
The job noticed him characterize Canada in commerce promotion occasions in Southeast Asia and safety boards within the Caribbean.
Sidhu labored as a customs dealer earlier than politics — a job that focuses on navigating purple tape and tariffs to safe the perfect price for buying and selling items.
Sidhu mentioned he plans to go to Brazil quickly because the South American nation seeks to revive commerce talks that kicked off in 2018 between the Mercosur commerce bloc and Canada.
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His predecessor Mary Ng put an emphasis on massive commerce missions which took months to plan. The minister would typically fill a aircraft with company and enterprise leaders, spending a considerable chunk of time in a single or two nations.
Sidhu mentioned he’s hoping to carry smaller delegations of firms with him on his journeys overseas, with a give attention to particular sectors, “whether or not it’s South America, Indo-Pacific to Europe, to Africa.”
“Companies really feel like they’re heard, however they’re additionally getting higher-level conferences on the alternative aspect within the nations that we take them into,” he mentioned.
Ottawa is navigating its commerce ties with China as the 2 nations work to revive the decades-old Joint Financial and Commerce Fee, a discussion board to kind out commerce irritants.
China has been roundly accused of participating in coercive commerce practices and of proscribing sure commodities or companies like tourism throughout political disagreements with Ottawa.
Sidhu mentioned the purpose there may be to supply “stability” to business, with an emphasis on “how can we work by way of these challenges, and the way can we ensure that these conversations are facilitated.”
Sidhu additionally downplayed the possibilities of a bilateral commerce cope with the UK. Commerce talks collapsed final 12 months over the U.Ok.’s need to promote extra cheese in Canada and after Britain blocked Canadian hormone-treated beef.
Each nations are utilizing a brief deal put in place after Britain left the European Union, and the U.Ok. will quickly enter a commerce bloc that focuses on the Pacific Rim, Sidhu famous. He mentioned Canada would nonetheless be open to a full deal.
“If U.Ok. and Canadian companies have already got entry on 99 per cent of the gadgets that we commerce, then if we’re commerce agreements, we have to ensure that we’re getting the perfect worth for our negotiations,” Sidhu mentioned.
He additionally mentioned Canada may contemplate “sector-specific agreements” with different nations, as a substitute of complete offers that span most industries.
“We’re getting very inventive in how we will open up extra doorways,” he mentioned.
Sidhu didn’t title particular nations the place Canada may pursue sector-specific agreements. Canada had been a commerce settlement with India that will be restricted to sure sectors — earlier than Ottawa suspended talks in 2023 following an assassination the RCMP has linked to New Delhi.
Ottawa launched safety talks with India this spring and agreed to re-establish excessive commissioners.
Sidhu was circumspect when requested when Canada may re-establish commerce talks with India.
“This can be a step-by-step strategy,” he mentioned, including that the eventual return of prime envoys will assist “to hold out these essential conversations.”
Sidhu mentioned International Affairs Canada continues to be checking out how Carney’s determination to chop spending in all departments will have an effect on the commerce department.
“It’s actually going to be a targeted strategy, of the place we will make the perfect impression,” Sidhu mentioned.
The Enterprise Council of Canada has urged Ottawa to broaden the variety of commerce commissioners, who present the contacts on the bottom for Canadian firms searching for export alternatives.
Whereas Sidhu didn’t say whether or not Ottawa’s cuts will imply fewer commerce commissioners, he mentioned he’s heard a transparent message from chambers of commerce that these positions are extraordinarily useful.
“It comes right down to return on investments, what applications are working (and) the place can we get the perfect bang for our buck for Canadian business and Canadian staff,” he mentioned.
“Quite a lot of the enterprise group doesn’t even know that (the Commerce Commissioner Service) is there to assist. And so my job is to assist amplify that.”
© 2025 The Canadian Press
