No China proof yet on canola: Carr

OTTAWA• Canada still hasn’t seen the evidence China used to block canola shipments from one of Canada’s largest grain producers, International Trade Minister Jim Carr said Wednesday in an interview.

A Chinese government spokesman has said Beijing’s move this month to suspend canola imports from Richardson International Ltd. came after “hazardous organisms” were detected in the company’s product.

Carr said Canada is pushing to solve the economically important matter — but it needs China to provide proof to back up the claims.

“We continue to ask Chinese officials for any evidence that this canola has any problems that can be proven with any scientific base or any scientific evidence — and so far we’ve heard nothing,” he said in a phone interview from Saskatoon, where he was talking to business leaders about making the most of opportunities created by Canada’s major trade deals.

“It’s a concern because we are a major exporter of canola to the world and we produce the finest canola in the world. It’s a very important part of our trade mix and we want to get to the bottom of it and we want to get to the bottom of it fast.”

Alberta Premier Rachel Notley issued a statement last week demanding that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau fight for canola farmers and all related jobs.

Notley added the issue could cost Alberta farmers hundreds of millions of dollars and lead to a loss of up to 3,000 jobs.

China’s decision to reject shipments of one of Canada’s key exports comes with the two countries in a diplomatic dispute that erupted after the December arrest of Huawei senior executive Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver at the behest of the U.S.

In the days following Meng’s arrest, China arrested Canadian citizens Michael Kovrig, a Canadian diplomat on leave, and Michael Spavor, an entrepreneur.

Asked whether there’s a link between the Meng case and the canola impasse, Carr said the government has no evidence of one.

“We’re treating it as a science issue, which is why we’re pressing Chinese officials to show us the science.”