Province wants greater role in EU-Canada trade negotiations: Sullivan

The provincial government says it wants to expand Newfoundland and Labrador’s role in trade negotiations between Canada and the European Union.

Susan Sullivan, the provincial minister of innovation, trade and rural development, said the government has been monitoring the 18 months of negotiations to “get a sense of the willingness of the federal government to fairly represent the interests of Newfoundland and Labrador,” according to a news release from the province today. Sullivan says now that “to continue to meaningfully shape the outcomes we now have to participate as more than observers.”

The news release says the provincial government has informed Peter Van Loan, the federal minister of international trade, of its decision to assume a greater role at the table. “I also communicated to him that while we are still in the early stages of negotiating, the government of Newfoundland and Labrador will not support the final agreement unless it best serves the interests of the people of this province,” said Sullivan, according to the news release.

Six rounds of formal negotiations have taken place between the federal government and the European Union. The next round of negotiations is scheduled for April.