Sunday, February 18, 2018

Canada eyes trade deal with Mercosur

Trade Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne is set to arrive in Paraguay on March 9 to launch trade talks with Mercosur, which also includes Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay.

“The stars are sort of aligning right now. Whether it’s auto parts, chemicals, lumber, sea food, this is actually a very attractive market,” said Champagne spokesman Joseph Pickerel.

Canada’s overall bilateral trade with Mercosur is worth $8 billion a year, he said.

By comparison, trade with the Pacific Alliance grouping of Mexico, Colombia, Peru and Chile — all of which have free trade deals with Canada — totals $48 billion a year.