Now is the time to rely on like-minded ties that bind

LONDON, U.K.—We are living in uncertain times. A global pandemic has changed our understanding of the world. Russia’s war in Ukraine has shown relying on authoritarian regimes for energy is not sustainable. A more assertive China is challenging the global order. And slow economic growth is making more people worldwide fearful about their futures. This difficult climate is why the United Kingdom is more focused than ever on building closer relationships with nations which share our values, like Canada. Prime ministers Justin Trudeau and Rishi Sunak reminded the world of the strength of our countries’ friendship at the G20 in Bali last month. We don’t take that relationship for granted. Last week in Ottawa, we were making our relationship stronger still, with the fourth round of negotiations towards our bilateral trade deal. Here are more reasons why Canada should prioritize a deal. First, there are the powerful economic arguments that politicians generally focus on in articles like this: the reduced tariffs and red tape, and the new trade opportunities for everyone from small and medium-sized enterprises to women entrepreneurs. Like Canada, the U.K. has high environmental, animal welfare, and food standards. We’re committed to protecting these whilst creating new opportunities for farmers to export overseas. And given the U.K. is Canada’s third-largest economic partner, a new trade deal can be a win for us both. But there is more at stake than dollars and pounds. Kemi Badenoch is the United Kingdom’s secretary of state for international trade. Photograph courtesy of the British High Commission Increasingly, uncertainty is leading to protectionism. At this time when autocrats are challenging the rules-based international system, putting up trade barriers is playing with fire. It strengthens the hand of authoritarian states that want to divide us. Trade deals are far more than a blunt economic tool. They increase competition, meaning more choice and lower costs for consumers. They also prevent others from manipulating the market, helping distinguish us from our global rivals. A new U.K.-Canada Free Trade Agreement, which takes us forward not backwards, will send a powerful signal that we believe in tearing down trade barriers, not constructing them. It demonstrates we want to open new trade routes, not close them off. Ultimately, a trade pact shows we share the same values and that we are committed to playing by the rules of global commerce and to strengthening the international order. And let’s face it: if, as two of the most like-minded countries on the planet, the U.K. and Canada can’t form an alliance showing what we stand for, no one can. These same arguments apply to the U.K.’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership. Canada is already a member of this trade bloc, made up of 11 countries and with a population of more than half a billion. The U.K. is on the cusp of becoming the first new member from outside the founding group. As with any negotiations, we each come to the table with different priorities. But I know we’ll find a solution that works for us both. That’s because we know why, geopolitically, this so important. The U.K.’s membership will add another like-minded partner and strong voice to this powerful alliance, taking the trade bloc’s GDP to 11 trillion pounds. This extra heft will give us greater opportunity to write the rules of global trade before others do so first. This will mean they truly work for our businesses and citizens. It will make us stronger in the face of economic coercion. So, I urge our Canadian friends to champion the U.K.’s accession to this dynamic group. Just over 75 years ago, Canada and the U.K. became founder members of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade—the forerunner of the multilateral trading system. Since then, our work together has helped to create prosperity for countless people around the globe. As we get ready for a new era in the U.K.-Canada trading relationship, I’m confident our partnership will bring many more benefits to our nations and the world. Kemi Badenoch is the United Kingdom’s secretary of state for international trade. The Hill Times

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Now is the time to rely on like-minded ties that bind

This difficult climate is why the United Kingdom is more focused than ever on building closer relationships with nations which share our values, like Canada.

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