Feds prepare for NAFTA with Liberal lobby in wake

OTTAWA— The federal government has spent a lot of time in the U.S. of late, making Canada’s case in advance of this week’s long-awaited NAFTA talks. Back home, though, industry groups have been working hard to make sure they deliver the right message.

Andrea van Vugt, the vice-president of policy for North America at the Business Council of Canada, said her organization was bracing for a renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement even before Donald Trump’s election win.

John Manley, CEO of the Business Council of Canada, is registered to lobby the federal government on any changes to the trade deal between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico.

The Business Council of Canada is not alone in these efforts.

The Canadian Press found 45 active entries in the federal lobbyist registry, representing 24 organizations who have signed up to make their case to the Liberal government — or hired lobbyists to do it for them — ahead of the first round of talks, which get underway Wednesday in Washington, D.C.

There were also 1,458 active registrations where the subjects included international trade. A number of those included organizations, such as the Dairy Farmers of Canada, that didn’t specifically mention NAFTA, but whose priorities are clearly linked to the trade talks.

Any activity that followed the release of the U.S. government’s summary of objectives last month would not be reflected in the registry; the reports for any July meetings are not due to be filed until next week.

They represent a wide range of interests, from agricultural producers to pharmaceutical companies and unions. The Liberals are aiming for a unified message, but that does not mean the groups lobbying them are all on the same page.