Trade News

The following is excerpted from a 3 April 2012 news release by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Canadian producers and agricultural researchers now have new opportunities for co-operation in Central Asia after Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and his counterpart from the Republic of Kazakhstan, Minister of Agriculture Asylzhan Mamytbekov, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) today.

The following is excerpted from a 3 April 2012 news release by Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada.

The following is excerpted from a 3 April 2012 news release by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat. The Honourable Tony Clement, President of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for FedNor, announced today that the "One-for-One" Rule has now taken effect as of April 1st, marking the implementation of one of many actions to reduce the burden of red tape for businesses. This action is being taken as part of the Government's response to the Red Tape Reduction Commission Recommendations Report. This release is available in its entirety at:

Brokers are advised that the correction period for MARCH 2012 Softwood Lumber permits ends April 10, 2012, at 17:00 ET. We remind you of the importance of submitting correct information on permits as this is imperative to the operation of the Softwood Lumber Agreement. Please submit permit corrections for the month of MARCH before the end of the correction period, as is the case for every allocation month of the year. _________________________________________________

RC4033, General Application for GST/HST Rebates - Includes Forms GST189, GST288, and GST507 has been updated and posted on the Canada Revenue Agency website at: http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pub/gp/rc4033/README.html _________________________________________________

The following is excerpted from a 3 April 2012 release by Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada. The Export and Import Permits Act (EIPA) requires those who wish to export from Canada any items included on the Export Control List (ECL) to obtain, prior to shipment, an export permit1. Applications to export controlled goods or technology are reviewed on a case-by-case basis to ensure that these exports are consistent with Canada’s foreign and defence policies. This release is available in its entirety at:

All CFIA Systems are working normally. With the upcoming Easter long weekend CFIA is presently experiencing higher than normal volumes of Import Shipments. Expect delays in the processing of these import requests. Extra staff are working to address the high volume and delays. Normal hours of operation will apply at the NISC. _________________________________________________

Chapter 06 was published to change the release recommendation from "Refer to CFIA-ISC" to "Refuse entry" for all countries except the Continental United States for the following HS Code. 06.02.90.0025.02 - Potato - plants (Solanum toberosum) Please check your version numbers before submitting through EDI. If you have any questions, please contact your Import Service Centre. _________________________________________________

Effective April 2, 2012, the Canada Border Serivces Agency (CBSA) began using a new CBSA integrated stamp. This stamp will replace legacy customs and immigration stamps previously in use. All previous versions of customs and immigration stamps will be retired and will no longer be authorized for use. _________________________________________________

The following is excerpted from the 3 April 2012 edition of The Globe and Mail. A decade after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that led to tough new restrictions at U.S. borders, President Barack Obama said Monday he was committed to making it “faster and cheaper to travel and trade.” It was just the sort of presidential focus on trade that Prime Minister Stephen Harper wanted to hear. This opinion piece is available in its entirety at:

The following is excerpted from a 2 April 2012 speech by Mark Carney, Governor of the Bank of Canada. The broad economic strategy in response to the global financial crisis has been to grow domestic demand and to encourage Canadian businesses to retool and reorient to the new global economy.

The following is excerpted from a 2 April 2012 news release by the Office of the Prime Minister. Canada, the United States and Mexico recognize that successfully addressing security challenges in the Americas benefits all citizens in the hemisphere. In keeping with this goal, leaders from Canada, the United States and Mexico announced the establishment of the Central American Integration System (SICA)-North America dialogue on April 2, 2012, during the sixth North American Leaders’ Summit in Washington, D.C.

The following is excerpted from the 3 April 2012 edition of The Globe and Mail. Politicians often lament the grind of international travel, which, as Tony Blair observed in his memoirs, “plays havoc with your digestive system.” In that sense, it might be best all around to scrap the annual summit with the leaders of the United States, Mexico and Canada.

The following is excerpted from the 3 April 2012 edition of The Globe and Mail. Our size and global placement give Canadians multiple perspectives as we compete in the international market. But these advantages too often distract us, at a time when we need to focus and follow-through.

The following is a CBSA message (EDI12-032)

Chapter 06 was published to: i) change the release recommendation from "Refuse entry" to "Refer to CFIA-ISC" for all countries except the Continental United States for the following HS Code. 06.02.90.0025.02 - Potato - plants (Solanum toberosum) ii) streamline the import requirements for the following HS code. 06.04.20.0045.53 - Palm leaf, palm frond - fresh Please check your version numbers before submitting through EDI. If you have any questions, please contact your Import Service Centre.

This is a reminder that a full database backup of the production database (PROD) is scheduled for Saturday, April 7th, 2012. CFIA systems will be unavailable from 3am to 7am EST. Please note that full database backups of the production database (PROD) are scheduled for the first Saturday of every month between 3am to 7am EST. _________________________________________________

The Import Control Division will be closed for the Easter holiday from Thursday April 5, 2012 at 4:00 pm (ET) until Tuesday April 10, 2012 at 8:00 am. Please note: Ottawa Meat Import Control Centre (1-877-682-5191) will be opened Friday 5, April 2012 and Monday 9, April 2012 from the hours of 8 AM to 6 PM (ET). If you require assistance please contact the Import Service Centre: National ISC : 800-835-4486, 877-493-0468 We regret the inconvenience and thank you for your cooperation. _________________________________________________

Order issued Friday, March 30, 2012 IN THE MATTER OF an interim review, pursuant to subsection 76.01(1) of the Special Import Measures Act, of the finding made by the Canadian International Trade Tribunal on November 24, 2009, in Inquiry No. NQ-2009-002, concerning: THE DUMPING OF MATTRESS INNERSPRING UNITS ORIGINATING IN OR EXPORTED FROM THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA The Order is available at: