The House of Commons Standing Committee on International Trade met to study Bill C-13, which would implement the United Kingdom’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). Witnesses included representatives from the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, the Canadian Meat Council, the Canadian Pork Council, the Canadian Alliance of British Pensioners, the Canadian Cattle Association, and the British Canadian Chamber of Trade and Commerce.
Jeff Nankivell of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada argued that U.K. accession is essential for building rules-based trade networks among like-minded middle powers, especially given protectionist trends. He noted that nine of 11 CPTPP members have already endorsed U.K. entry, and that further delay risks undermining Canada’s credibility. He recommended that the government adequately resource trade promotion efforts to help businesses use the agreement, and highlighted the potential for linking the CPTPP with the European Union and ASEAN.
Claire Citeau and Jorge Correa of the Canadian Meat Council described U.K. accession as a disappointment and a loss of negotiating leverage, since the U.K. maintains the same non-tariff barriers as the EU. For beef, the main barrier is the limited supply of hormone-free cattle; for pork, burdensome Trichinella testing and lengthy approval processes for antimicrobial interventions block trade. They urged the government to use all available mechanisms—CETA, CPTPP, the trade continuity agreement, and SPS dialogues—to resolve these technical barriers rather than weakening Canada’s leverage.
René Roy and Stephen Heckbert of the Canadian Pork Council echoed that U.K. accession surrenders negotiating leverage without changing day-to-day realities, as the U.K. applies the same SPS measures as the EU. They emphasized that Canada has had no Trichinella cases for nearly 70 years, making testing a non-tariff barrier. They called for science-based recognition of Canada’s food safety programs and urged the government to resolve these barriers through existing agreements, warning that the current situation sets a bad precedent for future trade deals.
Edwina Melville-Gray of the Canadian Alliance of British Pensioners supported strong trade relations but argued that Canada should not ratify Bill C-13 without securing annual pension uprating for U.K. state pensioners in Canada. She noted that over 100,000 pensioners face frozen pensions, costing Canadian taxpayers over $200 million annually in income supports, while the U.K. uprates pensions for pensioners in the U.S. and EU. She recommended a pause on ratification until the U.K. commits to negotiating a reciprocal social security agreement that includes annual uprating.
Tyler Fulton of the Canadian Cattle Association stated that the association opposed U.K. accession from the start because the U.K. did not follow CPTPP’s high standards and continues to apply non-tariff barriers that have prevented any Canadian beef exports to the U.K. for two years, while U.K. beef enters Canada freely. He urged the government not to give anything further to the U.K. until these barriers are resolved, and reiterated the call to use the trade continuity agreement as leverage, including potentially terminating it to force progress.
Martin Buckle of the British Canadian Chamber of Trade and Commerce spoke in favour of Bill C-13, emphasizing that the CPTPP strengthens supply chain resilience and affirms a rules-based trading order. He noted that the U.K. remains Canada’s third-largest export market and that the agreement shines a light on trade opportunities, particularly in defence and aerospace. He disagreed with the characterization of the deal as a loss of leverage, arguing that the agreement promotes long-term economic security and cultural ties.
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