2011-10-28T12:14:49Z https://www.thenewfederalist.eu/Oil-Sands-and-Fuel-Quality-Directive-or-the-Impossible-Quest-for,04567#comment10379 2011-10-28T12:14:49Z

<p>Hey Alex, I think you hit the nail on the head with the painful lesson that hasn't been learned regarding the seal trade issue. Public opinion in EU has definitely been underrated by Canada, as our government would rather solve trade issues diplomatically and on a « political only » level.</p> <p>You can't blame Canada for this, as they've learned a tough lesson after NAFTA negotiations and the public opinion affecting that trade agreement. Look at how Canada is dealing with the Canada-EU Free trade agreement, absolutely quiet in Canada, no publicity, no traction, no public engagement. If it's keeping quiet in-house, why would you expect it to do otherwise outside ?</p> <p>It's also a question of mandate and funding. The Mission of Canada to the European Union, simply doesn't have the necessary funds, manpower, or lobby weight, to push through a successful public outreach campaign which will overtake the powerful environmentalist lobby in the EU. Canada's great foreign service officers, are already stretched out to the limit on their multiple dossiers, and having little political will from Ottawa, they can only do so much.</p> <p>Instead of fighting fire with fire, Canada has chosen to maximize it's impact and resources and go after the decision-making body within the EU. It makes sense, and while it might not lead to the intended result, you have to keep in mind, that nobody else in Canada is worried about EU's Fuel Quality Directive. Why ? because as you correctly pointed out, we don't sell the oil to EU, and so the problem is largely ignored. Industry is treating this as « we'll cross that bridge when we get there ». Think about it, at the end of the day, if there are sales to EU and it justifies the cost, industry will deliver it's lobby powers to EU. If they could lobby the Obama government for the Keystone pipeline, they can lobby a 19.5 gram difference in CO2 emissions.</p>