Deal with South Korea may give Harper a boost

OTTAWA — Canada’s freetrade deal with South Korea will have major long-term economic implications for Canada — but it could also solidify the prime minister’s legacy heading into the 2015 election, and stem criticism the Conservatives are big talkers and poor finishers on trade.

For Stephen Harper, the free-trade agreement announced Tuesday — along with the Canada-European Union deal struck last fall — may also further define his political brand vis-a-vis NDP Leader Tom Mulcair and Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau, who are still scrambling to establish their economic credentials.

It may also help divert attention from the portrait of Harper his critics have painted based on the Senate scandal and his controversial new elections act. The Conservatives are hoping the successive trade deals (and a return to balanced budgets in 2015) will help position the prime minister as a strong economic manager and not the undemocratic bully his political rivals suggest.

“Harper has built and maintained an edge (over the other leaders) on economic management. That in all likelihood is flowing from this kind of (trade) activity,” said Tony Coulson, vice-president with the polling firm Environics Research Group. “In the big picture, most Canadians are onside with (free trade) and in particular this kind of thing plays with the Conservative base.”

Even the opposition parties noted Tuesday that they support free trade with Korea if it opens new markets for Canadian companies.

But the NDP also said that simply signing a free-trade agreement doesn’t make it a good deal for Canada, and that the devil was in the details, which will only be known once the agreements are tabled in Parliament. Liberal trade critic Chrystia Freeland said her party also supports free trade and is “broadly supportive” of the Canada-Korea deal, although the party hopes the government allows a healthy debate.

The trade agreement with Korea is Canada’s first in the Asia-Pacific region and could be a catalyst to completing trade deals with Japan and the trans-Pacific Partnership of 12 Pacific Rim nations over the next few years.

The Korean deal follows an agreement-in-principle last October on a trade deal with the EU.

The two trade pacts will give Canada preferential, duty-free access to a massive EU market and a foot in the door in the critical Asia-Pacific region.