International Trade

The committee was studying Canada’s trade relationship with Japan and the 2026 review of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). Appearing were Antoine Morin from Olymel S.E.C., Tyler Fulton from the Canadian Cattle Association, Robert Carter from the Coffee Association of Canada, and Sean Fahey from VidCruiter Inc.

Antoine Morin said Olymel accounts for 37% of Canada’s $1.5 billion in annual pork exports to Japan, a premium market for fresh-chilled pork. He urged Canada to conclude an African swine fever zoning agreement with Japan based on affected regions rather than provincial borders, warning that a single case could close the Japanese market and cause major economic harm. He also stressed the need for reliable rail and port infrastructure, noting that labour disruptions at the Port of Vancouver have caused millions of dollars in losses and damaged Canada’s reputation for consistent supply.

Tyler Fulton said the beef sector operates as a single integrated market with the United States, with 75% of Canadian beef and live cattle exports going there, and that CUSMA renewal is the sector’s top priority. He expressed concern that Canada is rushing a Mercosur trade deal on the eve of the CUSMA review without considering how it could affect the U.S. trading relationship, and he noted that U.S. cattle industry counterparts share Canada’s support for maintaining tariff-free trade.

Robert Carter said Canada’s coffee industry exports over $1 billion in roasted and decaf coffee to the United States annually, but because coffee falls outside CUSMA’s rules of origin, it has been subject to repeated tariff swings, costing Canadian jobs and contracts. He asked that the CUSMA rule of origin be changed so that roasting or decaffeinating green beans in Canada qualifies as sufficient transformation for originating status, noting that U.S. counterparts support the change in principle and that Mexico has historically blocked it.

Sean Fahey said CUSMA’s digital trade chapter has been vital for Canadian technology exporters like his firm, which gets about half its revenue from the United States. He recommended aligning AI, privacy and cybersecurity policies among the three countries, and he proposed that Canadian and U.S. government procurement vehicles be recognized as equivalent, which would let Canadian tech firms sell directly to the U.S. government without a costly two-year registration process.

The committee did not debate any motions or procedural matters during this meeting.