No text yet for Canada-U.K. trade deal, minister says as Dec. 31 tariff deadline looms

International Trade Minister Mary Ng was unable to offer MPs a firm guarantee today that they will see a bill to ratify the new provisional Canada-Britain trade agreement before Parliament is due to break for Christmas on Dec. 11.

Ng also revealed that officials in both countries are still working on the final text of the agreement.

The update by Ng to the House of Commons trade committee left opposition members across party lines surprised and pressing for answers on how a delay would affect Canadian exporters — who could face new British tariffs if the deal isn't finalized by a Dec. 31 deadline.

Canada's current agreement with Britain under its European Union trade pact expires when Britain's divorce from the EU takes effect at the start of the new year.

Without a new deal to replace it, a series of new British tariffs on Canadian exports such as seafood, beef and automobiles would be triggered...

This was excerpted from the 30 November 2020 edition of CBC News.