Last week CCGA's Vice-President, Government & Industry Relations, Dave Carey, attended the World Trade Organization (WTO) 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, as part of the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance (CAFTA) delegation. MC13 brought together Trade Ministers from all over the world along with their respective delegations and industry and non-governmental organizations.
Dave attended in both his role at CCGA, as a member of CAFTA, and as Acting President of the CAFTA's Board of Directors.
The World Trade Organization and Canadian Canola
The WTO is a key institution for the export-oriented agriculture sector as it underpins rules-based, multilateral trade. The international rules-based trading system is critical to get Canada's products into global markets.
Canola farmers' livelihoods rely heavily on trade and a functioning WTO to ensure trade rules are followed, technical trade barriers are addressed, and that when trade disputes arise, there are ways to resolve them in a binding manner.
Without the WTO and the multilateral trading system it underpins, Canada would not be able to move canola to more than 50 markets around the world.
Canadian canola is a trade powerhouse, exporting 90% of production to more than 50 countries around the world as seed, oil, and meal totalling $14.4 billion in 2022—further underscoring the importance of the WTO.
Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance at MC13
CAFTA is the leading voice for Canada's export-oriented agriculture sectors, and the WTO is the central agency that ensures multilateral trade flourishes.
CAFTA's priorities going into MC13 were simple:
- Stand firm against backsliding on existing agriculture provisions,
- stand up for rules-based trade and progressive trading principles,
- maintain effective trade disciplines against unfair trade practices and measures, and
- support greater regulatory cooperation to reduce technical trade barriers.
While on the ground in Abu Dhabi, the CAFTA delegation met with Canada's Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion and Economic Development; Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the WTO; senior political staff and trade negotiators; WTO officials; the U.S. agriculture delegation; along with dozens of informal conversations. CAFTA also was briefed each morning by Canada's Chief Agricultural Negotiator and negotiators from Global Affairs Canada.
Along with Dave, the CAFTA delegation was comprised of the following:
- Michael Harvey, Executive Director, CAFTA
- Kyle Larkin, Board of Directors, CAFTA, and Executive Director, Grain Growers of Canada
- Troy Sherman, Board of Directors, CAFTA, and Senior Director, Government & Industry Relations, Canola Council of Canada
- Dennis Laycraft, Executive Vice-President, Canadian Cattle Association
- Jennifer Babcock, Senior Director, Government and Public Affairs, Canadian Cattle Association
- Leif Carlson, Director, Market Intelligence and Trade Policy, Cereals Canada
The next Ministerial Conference is planned for 2026 in Cameroon.
Learn more about the importance of trade to canola here.