Can Canada Join the Trans-Pacific Partnership? Why Just Wanting it is Not Enough

Abstract

In late 2011, Canada indicated it wanted to join negotiations underway among nine countries towards a new Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement on trade. It is important for Canada to be at the table in these talks, which currently involve economies comprising 28 percent of world GDP. There is a stumbling block, however: Canada had the chance in 2005 to join the nascent grouping, but chose not to. Now prospective partners must determine Canada’s suitability to join negotiations already in progress. Among them, New Zealand is opposed to Canada’s attempts to maintain existing dairy supply management. And in a 2010 review, US officials already declined to support Canada’s case for entry. This paper argues that positive support from the United States this time could override objections by others, but Canada needs to play its cards better in the United States.