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“I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” ~~ John G. Diefenbaker

It seems that governments across Canada continue to talk about freer trade, but talk is all it ever seems to end up being ... will this be the beginning of it coming about?


Yesterday (May 5th), Manitoba's Deputy Premier Heather Stefanson lauded federal Conservative Party Opposition leader Andrew Sheer’s pledge to work with provinces to reduce inter-provincial trade barriers.

Stated Stefanson, “We welcome this strong commitment of federal engagement on the reduction of inter-provincial trade barriers”, who then continued, “Freer trade within Canada** will encourage greater economic growth and business competitiveness.”


According to a media release issued by the Manitoba Government, Premier Brian
Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister/ Twitter
Pallister has previously called for a grand bargain between the federal and provincial governments to address two of the most important issues facing Canadians – the enormous cost of inter-provincial trade barriers ... as well as inadequate federal support for health care.  Federal support for health care remains unacceptably low, and inter-provincial trade barriers cost Canadians the equivalent of a seven per cent sales tax.

In a National Post opinion piece, Premier Pallister, along with Brian Lee Crowley (Managing Director of the Macdonald-Laurier Institute) indicated that the federal government in Ottawa needs to shoulder inter-provincial trade while freeing the provinces to run health care.  The grand bargain, they envisioned with the federal government is more fully described in the op-ed entitled, “How to stop the provinces from blocking free trade? Offer this grand bargain”.

Stefanson added the commitment to reduce inter-provincial trade barriers is complementary to the provincial government’s passage of The Reducing Red Tape and Improving Services Act, which eliminates unnecessary regulatory requirements that hamper growth and improve private-sector job creation. 

Manitoba's efforts to reduce red tape and modernize regulations, in the province, received the highest ‘A’ grade ranking by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) in their 2019 national Red Tape Report Card.  The new grade was announced January 22nd, during the 10th anniversary of Red Tape Awareness Week, by the Government of Saskatchewan.
 
“These commitments have resulted in improved economic stability and competitiveness, and have helped to reinforce Manitoba’s reputation as one of the most improved provinces,” said Stefanson.
Manitoba Deputy Premier
Heather Stefanson
“We would welcome an opportunity for a discussion with the federal government to eliminate inter-provincial trade barriers and ensure we can unlock economic opportunities that will benefit our province and our country”, she concluded.






** PLEASE NOTE .... on this same topic of freer trade between provinces, I have penned two recent pieces ... one from December of last year, and the second in March.  It seems that governments across Canada continue to talk about freer trade, but talk is all it ever seems to end up being.  Perhaps this time, will actually see this coming about. 

While the BC government states that, removing impediments to trade create a safer and more dependable business environment for investors, inter-provincial trade remains tangled in protectionism


MARCH 4, 2019:  In just 29 words (Constitution Act Section 121) the Fathers of Confederation managed to state that:  "All Articles of the Growth, Produce, or Manufacture of any one of the Provinces shall, from and after the Union, be admitted free into each of the other Provinces." ... year after year after year however, both provincial and federal politicians have huffed and puffed about removing inter-provincial trade barriers.  Still 150 years later we have yet to see, or find, one news story announcing an end to these barriers ... 


But this is just one of the issues surrounding free, and not so free, inter-provincial trade 

DECEMBER 6, 2018:  In December 2014, federal, provincial and territorial governments began negotiations to strengthen and modernize the Agreement on Internal Trade – which last year (July 1st, 2017) resulted in the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA). This agreement covers most of the service economy, which accounts for 70 per cent of Canada’s GDP.
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