Bureaucrats played up TPP advantages in Freeland welcome briefing

Seems like history repeats itself. Many transition notes in the 2006 transition reflected implicit bias towards exiting policies and it appears the same may be true for the 2015 transition:

Federal public servants played up the benefits of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal to incoming Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland last fall, according to a briefing document prepared shortly after the federal election. Ms. Freeland, however, decided to take a neutral stance on the deal.

Global Affairs Canada also suggested Ms. Freeland (University-Rosedale, Ont.) move “quickly” on the TPP consultations promised by her party during the election campaign, according to the lengthy transition briefing book prepared for the new trade minister, which noted that department staff could help sell the deal to Canadians.

“Engaging Canadians quickly around the recently concluded Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement and bringing into force the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) will also be important in this regard, as these agreements will improve Canada’s access to U.S. and EU markets,” the briefing document said.

“Departmental officials play a critical role in informing and engaging Canadians on the benefits of these new agreements,” said the briefing, which also suggested that Ms. Freeland reach out to several of her provincial counterparts “to speak to the benefits” of the TPP.

Media attention around the TPP makes it “an opportunity for proactive communications,” the briefing said.

Liberal Party president Anna Gainey had pledged during the election campaign last October that her party supported trade agreements “like” the TPP for their job-creating potential. Ms. Freeland, however, made it clear in the months after the election that she would not use her position to promote the TPP—which was negotiated by the previous Conservative government—famously telling the audience at a panel discussion in Ottawa on Dec. 2 that “It’s not my job to persuade anybody that TPP is good.”

Source: Bureaucrats played up TPP advantages in Freeland welcome briefing |