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Internal Trade Agreements in Canada: Progress, Complexity and Challenges

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 October 2015

Christopher J. Kukucha
Christopher J. Kukucha*
Affiliation:
University of Lethbridge
*
Department of Political Science, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Drive, Lethbridge, Alberta, T1K 3M4, email: christopher.kukucha@uleth.ca
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Abstract

Despite criticism of ongoing protectionism, this study argues that Canada's internal trade regime has evolved significantly since the implementation of the original Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT). This includes thirteen formal amendments to the AIT and numerous regional agreements in Western, Central, and Atlantic Canada. Borrowing from the liberal International Political Economy (IPE) literature it argues that existing regional agreements complement and offer a potential framework for broader internal trade reforms at the national level. Of these the New West Partnership Trade Agreement (NWPTA) offers a promising model for Canada's internal market, with revised rules and norms related to negative lists, labour mobility, procurement, and investment and dispute settlement. Ongoing efforts to remove barriers will also be linked to a strengthened Internal Trade Secretariat, confidence-building measures, increased transparency and further reform of technical language.

Résumé

Malgré les critiques sur les mesures de protectionnisme en cours, cette étude fait valoir que le régime de commerce intérieur du Canada a considérablement évolué depuis la mise en œuvre de l’Accord initial sur le commerce intérieur (ACI). Cela comprend les treize modifications formelles à l’ACI et de nombreux accords régionaux dans l’Ouest canadien, le centre du Canada et le Canada atlantique. En se basant sur la documentation libérale de l’Économie politique internationale (EPI), il préconise que les accords régionaux existants complètent et offrent un cadre potentiel pour des réformes globales du commerce interne sur le plan national. Parmi ceux-ci, l’Accord sur le commerce, l’investissement et la mobilité de la main-d’œuvre (ACIMMO) propose un modèle prometteur pour le marché intérieur du Canada, avec des règles et normes révisées relatives aux listes négatives, la mobilité de la main-d’œuvre, l’approvisionnement et les investissements et le règlement des différends. Les efforts en cours pour éliminer les obstacles seront également liés à un renforcement du Secrétariat du commerce intérieur, des mesures de renforcement de la confiance, une transparence accrue et d’autres réformes du langage technique.

Type
Research Article
Information
Canadian Journal of Political Science/Revue canadienne de science politique , Volume 48 , Issue 1 , March 2015 , pp. 195 - 218
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Political Science Association (l'Association canadienne de science politique) and/et la Société québécoise de science politique 2015 

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