Canada takes first formal step to challenge China’s canola ban at WTO
- Move comes as Ottawa complains of ‘not seeing progress fast enough’ after engaging with Beijing ‘at multiple levels’
- China blocked all imports of Canadian canola seed in March amid dispute over detention of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou
Canada, locked in a major dispute with Beijing, is taking the first formal step at the World Trade Organisation to challenge China’s decision to block Canadian canola exports, Trade Minister Jim Carr said on Friday.
China, angry at Canada’s detention of Huawei Technologies executive Meng Wanzhou last year on a US arrest warrant, blocked all imports of canola seed in March on the grounds that they contained pests.
“We have continuously been engaging with China at multiple levels. The issue is that we’re not seeing progress fast enough and as we would with any trading partner, this is the next step,” Carr spokesman Michael Jones said.
Carr said in a statement that Ottawa was seeking bilateral consultations with China at the WTO. Under WTO rules, Canada and China should meet within 30 days, and if these talks fail, Canada can request adjudication by a panel.
The WTO timeline means there is slim chance of a resolution before Canadians vote in a federal election on October 21.