Premiers Advance Open Trade in Canada

Premiers Advance Open Trade in Canada

REGINA, August 7, 2009 – Premiers today agreed on a new Agriculture Chapter for the Agreement on Internal Trade. This builds on the achievements of the Council of the Federation in recent years to further increase the free flow of people, investment, goods and services in Canada.

The new Agriculture Chapter will prevent unreasonable use of technical measures to diminish open trade in agricultural products across Canada. The Chapter will not apply to measures relating to supply management systems regulated by federal or provincial governments or to provincially regulated marketing boards.

All jurisdictions in Canada have now approved the new Labour Mobility Chapter of the Agreement on Internal Trade, allowing professionals and tradespeople greatly improved freedom and opportunity to pursue their careers across Canada. All Premiers have agreed to the new Dispute Resolution Chapter.

Building on these successes, Premiers have agreed to initiate a new round of improvements on internal trade. This includes:
 

  • Person-to-Government Dispute Resolution Mechanism: Building on the successful work on the Government-to-Government Dispute Resolution Mechanism, Premiers direct Ministers responsible to provide options for improvement to the Person-to-Government mechanism in advance of the 2010 COF Summer meeting.
  • Full Labour Mobility for Financial Sector Occupations: Premiers asked Ministers responsible for Internal Trade to complete a review of financial sector occupations and make recommendations relating to full labour mobility under Chapter 7 of the Agreement on Internal Trade.”
  • Business and Transportation Regulations: Premiers direct Ministers responsible for internal trade to move quickly to reconcile extra-provincial corporate registration and reporting requirements and multi-provincial business licensing regulations. Premiers also directed Transportation Ministers to develop an action plan to reconcile transportation regulations. They are to report with timelines and proposed amendments by December 31, 2009.

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For more information:

Ian Hanna
Communications Advisor
Office of the Saskatchewan Premier
306-787-2127
[email protected]