Bill C-18 (Historical)

Canada—United Kingdom Trade Continuity Agreement Implementation Act

An Act to implement the Agreement on Trade Continuity between Canada and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

This bill is from the 43rd Parliament, 2nd session, which ended in August 2021.

Sponsor

Mary Ng Liberal

Status

This bill has received Royal Assent and is now law.

Summary

This is from the published bill.

This enactment implements the Agreement on Trade Continuity between Canada and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The general provisions of the enactment set out rules of interpretation and specify that no recourse is to be taken on the basis of sections 10 to 15 or any order made under those sections, or on the basis of the provisions of the Agreement, without the consent of the Attorney General of Canada.
Part 1 approves the Agreement, provides for the payment by Canada of its share of the expenditures associated with the operation of the institutional and administrative aspects of the Agreement and gives the Governor in Council the power to make orders in accordance with the Agreement.
Part 2 amends certain Acts to bring them into conformity with Canada’s obligations under the Agreement and contains a transitional provision.
Part 3 contains a coordinating amendment and the coming-into-force provision.

Elsewhere

All sorts of information on this bill is available at LEGISinfo, an excellent resource from Parliament. You can also read the full text of the bill.

Bill numbers are reused for different bills each new session. Perhaps you were looking for one of these other C-18s:

C-18 (2022) Law Online News Act

C-18 (2020) Law Appropriation Act No. 2, 2020-21

C-18 (2016) Law An Act to amend the Rouge National Urban Park Act, the Parks Canada Agency Act and the Canada National Parks Act

C-18 (2013) Law Agricultural Growth Act

Votes

March 10, 2021 Passed 3rd reading and adoption of Bill C-18, An Act to implement the Agreement on Trade Continuity between Canada and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Feb. 1, 2021 Passed 2nd reading of Bill C-18, An Act to implement the Agreement on Trade Continuity between Canada and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Debate Summary

This is a computer-generated summary of the speeches below. Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.

Bill C-18 aims to ensure trade continuity between Canada and the United Kingdom by replicating the terms of the CETA agreement post-Brexit. It preserves existing trade benefits while negotiations for a comprehensive agreement continue.

Liberal

Ensures trade continuity with UK: The bill preserves CETA benefits with the UK after Brexit, providing essential stability, predictability, and continuity for Canadian businesses, exporters, workers, and consumers.
Protects Canadian sectors and exports: The agreement maintains duty-free access for most products and preferential market access for agriculture, while fully protecting supply-managed dairy, poultry, and egg sectors.
Maintains investment and services access: The bill ensures preferential access and greater transparency for service suppliers and guarantees access and protection for investors, continuing strong bilateral economic ties.
Sets stage for future FTA: This continuity agreement is a temporary measure providing stability as the government works toward a new comprehensive bilateral free trade agreement with the UK, preserving Canada's right to regulate.

Conservative

Supports bill C-18: Conservatives support Bill C-18 to provide trade continuity with the United Kingdom and avoid uncertainty for Canadian businesses and exporters.
Criticize government delays: Conservatives criticize the government for mismanaging the process, delaying negotiations, and waiting until the last minute to introduce the bill, causing uncertainty.
Seek comprehensive agreement: While supporting continuity, Conservatives argue the current bill is a placeholder rollover of CETA and lacks specific provisions needed for the Canada-UK relationship.
Value trade with allies: Conservatives emphasize the importance of strengthening trade ties with like-minded nations like the U.K., based on shared values and standards.

NDP

opposes investor-state dispute settlement: The NDP strongly opposes the inclusion of investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) clauses, arguing they harm public policy and have disadvantaged Canada.
criticizes the trade agreement: The party criticizes the agreement as a 'carbon copy' of CETA, signed without proper consultation, and being a permanent deal despite being described as temporary.
questions rationale for new deal: The NDP questions the government's claim that the UK will seek a new deal, particularly regarding dairy market access, which seems to contradict promises to dairy farmers.
permanent deal lacks pressure for change: Making the agreement permanent removes pressure for future negotiations and allows the UK entry into the TPP, rather than setting a deadline for a new bilateral deal.

Bloc

Supports bill C-18: The Bloc supports the trade continuity agreement, though not enthusiastically, viewing it as necessary for short-term market access while avoiding immediate harm to supply management.
Demand transparency and consultation: The Bloc demands greater transparency and consultation for parliamentarians and provinces in trade negotiations, criticizing the current process as simply rubber-stamping secret agreements.
Oppose investor-state mechanism: The party strongly opposes the investor-state dispute settlement mechanism, warning it allows powerful corporations to undermine democratic public policy for profit.

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(The House divided on the motion, which was agreed to on the following division:)

Vote #69