Canada gives UK major trade boost after declaring it’s set to sign deal this year
BRITAIN has been given a major trade boost as Canada declared it is all set to sign a deal by the end of the year.
PM Justin Trudeau is “very optimistic” that an agreement to avoid tariffs and quotas will be struck.
He said the negotiations are “fairly straightforward” and won’t get bogged down in the “complexities” blighting UK talks with Brussels.
The announcement comes just a week after trade secretary Liz Truss secured the UK’s first major post-Brexit trade deal with Japan.
And in a further lift, Brussels boss Ursula von der Leyen revealed talks on a pact with the EU are also “making good progress”.
Mr Trudeau told The Sun: “There have been many discussions over the past years between myself and PM Johnson, and his predecessor, on that seamless transition.
“Canada is extremely pleased to be the only G7 country that has a free trade deal with every other G7 country and we’d certainly like to keep that.
“There are significant complexities that the UK is grappling with in terms of negotiating the post-Brexit agreement with the EU.
“I can highlight that it’s fairly straightforward with Canada and we are certainly very optimistic in the ability to see things roll over smoothly.
“Canada is certainly there to ensure certainty can be given to British companies, at least with Canada, as other things are worked out.”
His remarks came despite claims last year that Ottawa would refuse to sign a rollover deal with the UK.
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Britain’s negotiator David Frost arrived in Brussels on Thursday for further talks with Michel Barnier that will stretch over the weekend.
Mrs von der Leyen said with just over a week to go the negotiations are now “boiling down” to wrangling over fishing and common standards.
In upbeat remarks she said both sides are now “detailing in depth” how an agreement on fair competition will work.
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