Interim Conservative leader Rona Ambrose says it’s time for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to “get on a plane” to salvage CETA in Brussels.
Ambrose told CTV’s Power Play that it was “absolutely unacceptable” that International Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland walked out on Canada-EU trade deal talks in Brussels. Freeland returned to Canada after the Belgium region of Wallonia continued to block the deal.
“It took seven years for us to get to where we are today,” Ambrose said from Edmonton.
“We cannot give up. We cannot throw in the towel at this late stage.”
Ambrose said she can understand Freeland’s frustration with the holdup. However, she said the Conservatives encountered similar road blocks such as dealing with resistance to the oilsands.
Ambrose said a “phone call is not enough” and Trudeau needs to get directly involved. She said he should show his support on the ground like the Prime Minister of Belgium who flew into Brussels.
“We need Trudeau to actually get on a plane and go over there,” she said.
“I just think it makes a difference when you have the leader of a country involved at this level of negotiations.”
Ambrose said she doesn’t believe Trudeau is as excited about CETA as he should be. She said she has only heard him mention CETA in the House of Commons once.
David Lametti, parliamentary secretary to the International Trade Minister, said Ambrose's comments couldn’t be further from the truth.
Trudeau supports CETA and has been in “constant contact” throughout trade negotiations, Lametti told CTV’s Power Play in Ottawa.
It was determined Trudeau did not need to fly to Brussels for negotiations at this stage, Lametti said. He said Canada has done all that it can and it’s up to the EU to save the deal now.
Ambrose said the Conservatives have called for an emergency debate on CETA.
