EV tariffs could undermine rules-based trading system critical for Canadian ag exports

While Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland say applying steep tariffs on electric vehicles (EVs) and steel from China is in Canada's national interest, the organization that represents Canada's agri-food exporting sectors is reminding the government it's also in Canada's interest to maintain an international rules-based system for trade.
The Canadian government, following in line with the U.S., European Union, and others, say China is unfairly subsidizing its EV sector to flood the world market, while failing to meet adequate environmental and labour standards.
However, China's government was quick to react to the announcement coming out of the Liberals' cabinet meeting in Halifax this week, vowing retaliation and accusing the Canadian government of claiming to support the World Trade Organization's multilateral trading system while "blatantly violating WTO rules" with the new tariffs.
Canola, beef, and pork exports from Canada have been the target of Chinese retaliation in the past.
"We don't think it's helpful to link issues, to link industries, to react to one industry by responding to another," says Michael Harvey, executive director of the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance (CAFTA), in the interview below, when asked about the possibility of retaliation against Canadian agricultural exports.
"We think that there are ways for Canada to try to manage the issue that can help reduce the risk of that. One of the biggest is to work multilaterally with partners," he says, noting the EU and U.S. announced similar tariffs this summer. "There's real opportunity for Canada to work with like-minded countries and to try to multi-lateralize this issue, to be able to discuss it, not just as us, but as something that different economies are doing."
At the same time, CAFTA says it's important that Canada works to support and strengthen the international rules-based trading system, as 90 to 95 per cent of Canada's agri-food trade is covered by the WTO's rules, directly or indirectly.
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[@MCatSHF]

Hello RealAgriculture:
If you think that China won't retaliate, you're dreaming!!!
We in agriculture know that we will be the ones to suffer, again.
As far as the reason for the EV tariff being because China is unfairly subsidizing their industry, how about the billions of dollars that Canada has subsidized the EV manufacturing industry along with the battery manufacturing industry for these EVs.

[@MCatSHF]

Hello RealAgriculture:
And now it begins (Sept. 3, 2024 "Canola Futures Down Limit after China’s Announces Anti-Dumping Probe").