With the passage by the US Senate of Obama’s long-sought-after trade negotiating authority this week, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) effort will start to move to its final wrap-up. Other countries were holding back until the necessary bill (called Trade Promotion Authority or “fast-track”) was enacted.
This will put tremendous pressure on Canada to open up its Soviet-style, protected supply-managed sector for dairy products, poultry and eggs, making it extremely tricky for the Harper government in an election year.
See my comments on all of this in the June 25 Globe & Mail Report on Business here.