Free Trade Between Yorks and Lancs?

Even in other English-speaking countries, the way things are run can be very different from the UK. In Canada, the neighbouring provinces of British Columbia and Alberta have negotiated a trade agreement due to start on – of all dates - April 1. I couldn’t help picturing councillors from Yorks and Lancs sitting around a table thrashing out trans-Pennine black pudding and yorkshire pudding quotas. (I plead guilty to watching The Goodies on DVD last night.)

Each Canadian province has its own government, sets its own tax rate and makes its own laws. Provinces have more autonomy than the Scottish Parliament within the UK.

According to the Conference Board of Canada the British Columbia/Alberta trade deal will create about $4.8 billion in business and generate 78,000 new jobs in B.C. alone.

The Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement (TILMA) is intended to harmonise standards, regulations, licensing and certification between member provinces. It creates a market of 7.7 million people. The governments in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, however, have said they’re not interested in joining the agreement.

Nancy Hughes Anthony, president of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, told The Brooks Bulletin;
“We’re looking for trade all around the world and yet we can’t have free trade between our own provinces. It’s absolutely shocking.”

Barry O’Neill, of the Canadian Union of Public Employees said;

“The deal is being oversold. Potential benefits are just not that big.”

Bev Dick, of the 23,000 member United Nurses of Alberta, said;

“It makes sense that you should be able to move from province to province without a tremendous amount of bureaucracy.”