Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development
May 26, 2015
Protecting Provincial Trade Interests
Province Moves Forward on CETA
The Honourable Darin King, Minister of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development, is addressing the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador's position regarding the ongoing dispute with the Government of Canada on the $400 million fisheries fund and the Canadian European Union Comprehensive Trade Agreement (CETA).
"The Federal Government shows no signs of living up to its commitment to the agreed $400 million fisheries renewal fund. Despite sustained effort on the province's part, the Federal Government remains unprepared to enter into meaningful discussions to implement the agreement we reached. In fact, Minister Granter wrote Minister Moore on March 11 requesting such engagement. Minister Moore has not yet agreed to meet and despite being in the province on May 20, no meeting with the ProvincialGovernment was arranged. Instead, Minister Moore decided to publicly restate the Federal Government's reinterpretation of the June 2013 agreement."
- Honourable Darin King, Minister of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development
During negotiations, while issues similar to minimum processing requirements (MPRs) for other provinces were being protected, such as log export restrictions for British Columbia, no such accommodation was made for Newfoundland and Labrador. As negotiations continued, an agreement was reached on the creation of the fisheries renewal fund as a concession to the removal of jurisdictional authority on MPRs for products destined for the EU market.
"While our government is pleased with the outcomes negotiated in partnership with the Federal Government in CETA, we must continue to act in the best interest of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. The Federal Government has reneged on the fisheries fund and we have reached a point where our government must end this stalemate. As such, I have written to Minister Fast, and the European Union informing them of our government's position moving forward. The Provincial Government cannot relinquish jurisdictional authority on MPRs on fish destined to the European Union when the Federal Government is not prepared to honour the terms of the negotiated fisheries fund."
- Minister King
The letter to the Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade is available at www.gov.nl.ca/releases/2015/btcrd/2605n03_letter2.pdf 
and the letter to Her Excellency Marie-Anne Coninsx, Ambassador of the European Union to Canada is available at www.gov.nl.ca/releases/2015/btcrd/2605n03_letter1.pdf
QUICK FACTS
- The Honourable Darin King, Minister of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development, today addressed the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador's position regarding the ongoing dispute with the Government of Canada on the $400 million fisheries fund and CETA.
- The Provincial Government cannot relinquish jurisdictional authority on minimum processing requirements on fish destined to the European Union when the Federal Government is not prepared to honour the terms of the negotiated $400 million fisheries fund.
- The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador remains pleased with the outcomes negotiated in partnership with the federal government in CETA and will continue to act in the best interest of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.
- The letter to the Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade is available at at www.gov.nl.ca/releases/2015/btcrd/2605n03_letter2.pdf and the letter to Her Excellency Marie-Anne Coninsx, Ambassador of the European Union to Canada is available at www.gov.nl.ca/releases/2015/btcrd/2605n03_letter1.pdf .
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Media contact:
| Emily Timmins
Communications Manager Department of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development 709-729-4819, 693-1292 emilytimmins@gov.nl.ca |
2015 05 26 12:45 p.m.