Canada says European Parliament ban on seal imports won’t prevent free-trade deal with EU

Canada to talk trade despite EU seal product ban

TORONTO — Canada’s trade minister says a European Parliament ban of Canadian seal products won’t prevent Canada and the EU from agreeing on a wide-ranging free-trade agreement.

The European Parliament voted Tuesday to ban imports of seal products in an effort to force Canada to end its annual seal hunt.

Canada reacted sharply to the move, with Trade Minister Stockwell Day promising that Ottawa “will challenge the ban” and take the 27-nation bloc to the world trade body if the law does not exempt Canada.

But Day says that shouldn’t preclude Canada from agreeing to a trade deal. He says they are two separate items and says a EU free trade deal would mean billions of dollars and thousands of jobs.

Day is in Prague for trade talks with the EU.