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Canada’s Trade Minister Shifts to Sector-Focused Missions to Diversify Markets

He is reducing U.S. dependence by targeting underused free trade pacts through sector-specific missions.

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International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu arrives for a caucus meeting Parliament Hill in Ottawa on June 11. Ottawa's new trade minister says he's looking to sign deals in South America, Southeast Asia, Africa and beyond — and to convince businesses to actually use the trade agreements Canada has already signed.

Overview

  • Sidhu urged Canadian firms to make better use of the country’s 15 free trade agreements covering 51 nations and 1.5 billion consumers.
  • He will lead smaller, sector-specific trade delegations across South America, the Indo-Pacific, Europe and Africa.
  • A planned visit to Brazil aims to revive Mercosur trade talks that stalled in 2018.
  • He has moved to restart the Joint Economic and Trade Commission with China to work through ongoing trade irritants.
  • Sidhu downplayed the likelihood of a new UK bilateral agreement and kept sector-specific talks with India suspended since 2023.