Canada

Canada Agrees to Ratify the UK's Pacific Trade Pact Membership

JUN 16 2025·Updated JUN 17 2025

Story

Above: Keir Starmer (R) and Mark Carney at the Royal Oak pub ahead of the G7 leaders' summit on June 14, 2025, in Ottawa. Image credit: Stefan Rousseau/Pool/Getty Images

The Facts

Canada agreed on Sunday to introduce legislation this autumn to ratify the U.K.'s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a trade bloc comprising 11 countries with a combined gross domestic product (GDP) of £12 trillion, including Australia, Japan, and Vietnam.
Global Banking And Finance Review
MorningstarUK
GB News
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney established a joint U.K.-Canada Economic and Trade Working Group with a six-month deadline to address market access barriers and explore cooperation on critical minerals and artificial intelligence infrastructure.
National Post
GOV.UK
Following their bilateral meeting before the G7 leaders' summit in Alberta, a Downing Street spokesman said the move "will bring huge benefits to UK businesses by lowering tariffs when buying from and selling to Canada."
GB News
The Standard
The U.K. joined the CPTPP in 2024; however, Canada's failure to ratify its membership meant that the pact's tariff reductions did not cover British exports to Canada. In 2024, the U.K. represented 3.6% of Canada's exports and 1.2% of imports.
Politico
Global Banking And Finance Review
Previous U.K.-Canada trade negotiations stalled in January 2024 under the Conservative government due to disputes over hormone-treated beef and British cheese tariffs, with Canadian farmers objecting to the U.K.'s ban on hormone-treated beef.
Independent
Politico
BBC News
Additionally, the leaders agreed to strengthen defense cooperation, including continued support for Ukraine's Coalition of the Willing and the development of cutting-edge aircraft and weapons technology, while establishing a $5.7 million Joint Canada-UK Common Good Cyber Fund over a five-year period.
Reuters
GOV.UK

Sources Split

LEFT

CENTER

RIGHT

ESTAB
CRIT

CENTER

PRO
ESTAB

The Spin

Narrative A

This partnership is a crucial step toward economic security in an era of global trade uncertainty. The CPTPP ratification will unlock massive benefits for British businesses while the joint working group tackles real barriers that have held back bilateral trade. Canada's commitment shows the strength of Commonwealth ties in the face of external pressures.

GOV.UK

MorningstarUK

Narrative B

The deal primarily serves U.K. interests while offering limited benefits to Canadian exporters who already dominate trade in gold and energy products. Previous negotiations failed because Britain refused to compromise on food standards that lacked scientific justification. The working group may struggle to overcome fundamental disagreements that derailed talks before.

Politico

National Post

Narrative C

Britain’s CPTPP membership is largely symbolic — a diplomatic nod to allies like Japan and Australia rather than a real economic win. With existing trade deals in place, the economic gains are negligible. This is geopolitics dressed as trade, offering more headlines than hard benefits.