Canada in talks with Trump officials over fresh demands to curb phoney goods

The Liberal government is in talks with U.S. officials to resolve fresh demands from Washington that Canada get tougher on counterfeit goods, such as fake iPhones and phoney Prada fashions, CBC News has learned.

The Trump administration wants Canadian customs officers to begin seizing so-called fake imports even if the goods — largely from China — are merely transiting through Canada to markets in the United States and elsewhere.

Under a Canadian law in effect from 2015, customs officers can seize only those fake imports destined for the Canadian market.

In the 13 months up to December last year, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) seized 31 such shipments worth at least $600,000 — a drop in the bucket, according to critics who say fake imports to Canada are worth billions of dollars.

Canadian officials have long rebuffed demands for a much tougher counterfeit law, including demands by Obama administration officials who wanted the 2015 legislation to compel the seizure of fake imports transiting Canada, not just those intended for sale in Canada...

A briefing note obtained by CBC News from the CBSA under the Access to Information Act says the agency is looking to give the Americans what they want — without actually changing the law...

This was excerpted from 4 December 2017 edition of CBC News.