Without that status, it’s unlikely that others involved will
make a deal that includes the U.S.
Fast-track approval means federal politicians will need to
vote on any agreement as a package; they will not be able to cherry-pick
specific clauses or commodities from the deal.
President Barrack Obama has requested
fast-track negotiating status.
Republican Paul Ryan, a powerful politician
because he is chairman of the ways and means committee which controls the
nation’s purse strings, wants approval.
He also took a swing at Canada and
Japan, saying they ought to be exluded from the negotiations if they won’t
offer to take down trade barriers protecting their farmers.
"Canada has big restrictions on
dairy, poultry, and egg products. Those have to go," he said in prepared
remarks.
"And if any of the 12 countries
currently in the talks think our standards are too high, well, I’d complete the
agreement without them and invite them to join it later."
Canada’s Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz
welcomed Ryan’s comments about fast-track negotiating power, but said nothing
about Ryan’s comments about supply management.
