'Too much British cheese'? U.K. PM Boris Johnson on trade, climate co-operation

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is hopeful that Canada and the U.K. can conclude a permanent deal on how much British cheese can enter Canada, just one part of a comprehensive free-trade deal set to be negotiated this fall.

Reluctance to "allow too much British cheese to tempt the palates of Canadians" was one sticking point during negotiations over a transitional deal last year, Johnson told CBC News chief political correspondent Rosemary Barton in an exclusive Canadian interview airing Sunday on Rosemary Barton Live.

"What's really needed now is more affordable, high-quality British cheese in Canada, and I hope that we can do a deal to allow that," Johnson said.

Canada and the United Kingdom completed a transitional trade agreement in November, necessitated by Britain's withdrawal from the European Union.

But the agreement did not include a lasting deal on market access for British cheese producers, instead temporarily maintaining the system established under Canada's free-trade agreement with the European Union...

This was excerpted from the 30 May 2021 edition of CBC News.