By Alice McFarlane

Former agriculture minister concerned about comments on country of origin labelling

Feb 10, 2021 | 4:40 PM

A former Canadian agriculture minister is concerned about comments made by the incoming United States Secretary of Agriculture.

Gerry Ritz said he would not be surprised to see a COOL 2.0.

Secretary Tom Vilsack was asked by a U.S Senator about his views regarding country-of-origin labelling (COOL) legislation. He indicated he would be willing to consider ideas as long as they did not violate the World Trade Organization (WTO) ruling in Canada’s favour back in 2015.

Ritz said with this knowledge being forewarned is forearmed.

“We have a lot of the same players that brought (COOL) in last time. Joe Biden was the vice-president and Tom Vilsack was the secretary of agriculture,” Ritz said. “Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund United Stockgrowers of America (R-CALF) the group out of Montana predominantly are big democratic supporters.”

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Ritz said the WTO dispute settlement system takes a while to wind up and get it going.

“WTO rulings take two to three years. Even though there is precedent this is a new administration by intent if not by name. At the end of the day, if they’re going to do this Made in America [policy] it’s really going to happen. They’re going to slam that door shut,” he said.

Canada still retains the legal right to implement retaliatory tariffs if the United States reintroduces a similar COOL requirement.

COOL was implemented by the U.S. back in 2008 and repealed in 2015 after the WTO’s settlement body agreed with the Canadian and Mexican governments.

It took six years to resolve the dispute.

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alice.mcfarlane@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @AliceMcF