International Trade

The House of Commons Standing Committee on International Trade met on April 14, 2026, to study Canada’s trade relations with North Africa and West Africa. Witnesses included Sylvain Tétreault, an international business facilitator; Carl Viel, President of Québec International; Sègbédji Parfait Aïhounhin, CEO of the Chambre de commerce Québec-Afrique; and David Collins, a professor of international economic law. Senator Amina Gerba also appeared.

Senator Amina Gerba recommended that Canada explicitly include Africa in its trade diversification strategy, identify priority countries and sectors, and strengthen financial tools by expanding FinDev Canada’s capacity and reviewing Export Development Canada’s risk assessments. She called for high-level trade missions, preliminary work toward trade agreements, support for regional value chains, and leveraging Canada’s francophonie and Commonwealth memberships. She also urged addressing visa processing issues, noting that visa refusal rates for African businesspeople have reached 70% in some cases.

Sylvain Tétreault described his business model of selling Canadian expertise rather than products, using the example of a Quebec company licensing prefabricated wooden housing technology in Africa. He identified three major obstacles: burdensome visa processes for African businesspeople, government programs disconnected from business realities, and federal departments working in silos. He recommended delegating program administration to employer federations or chambers of commerce and organizing a Canada-Africa economic summit to signal seriousness.

Carl Viel emphasized that trade diversification is a necessity, not an option, and that the francophonie is a major driver for Canadian businesses in Africa. He highlighted the Rendez-vous d’affaires de la Francophonie de Québec as a concrete platform that generated over $10 million in economic benefits in 2024. He stressed the need for structured support, long-term relationship building, and leveraging the diaspora to help businesses understand local practices and mitigate risks.

Sègbédji Parfait Aïhounhin advocated for a paradigm shift from buying and selling raw materials to co-production throughout the value chain. He proposed a collaborative traceability platform using QR codes to streamline customs and reduce transit times. He called for strengthening certification and standards support, logistical assistance, and risk information, and emphasized that doing business in Africa requires understanding its 54 countries and diverse cultures on a case-by-case basis, not as a single bloc.

David Collins highlighted the African Continental Free Trade Agreement as an enormous opportunity, though Canada cannot negotiate directly with it until it becomes a customs union. He recommended that Canada pursue foreign investment promotion and protection agreements with African countries, leverage Export Development Canada for political risk insurance, and engage through World Trade Organization committees to promote transparency and harmonization of standards. He noted that Canadian businesses can offer ethically driven, sustainable investment that contrasts with more exploitative approaches by other powers.

At the start of the meeting, the committee adopted a motion reaffirming support for Ukraine and requesting that the Minister of Finance extend the Ukraine goods remission order from 2026 to 2031.