Ottawa – The new business minister of Ottawa says that he is looking at South America, Southeast Asia, Africa and beyond deals – and Canada has already signed to celebrate businesses to celebrate business agreements.
Maninder Sidhu told The Canadian Press, “My primary role as Canada’s top salesmen is to get out of there, open doors for businesses and reach new markets.”
“My phone is ringing with opportunities because people want to deal with reliable, stable business partners.”
Prime Minister Mark Carney has entrusted Dominic Labbank as a minister responsible for the trade of Canada-US. Sidhu’s job focuses on other countries other than America
Export Development Canada says Ottawa has 15 free trade agreements covering 51 countries, providing preference of canadian exporters for more than 1.5 billion consumers.
But Sidhu said that the Canadian business can do a lot to look beyond the US, especially as Washington has threatened and put a series of tariffs.
Sidhu served four years as a parliamentary secretary in roles depicting all three branches in global affairs: aid, business and diplomacy.
The job saw him representing Canada in the incidents of trade promotion in Southeast Asia and the security forums in the Caribbean.
Sidhu worked as a customs broker before politics – a job that focuses on navigating red tape and tariff to secure the best rate for business goods.
Sidhu said that he is planning to visit Brazil soon as the South American country wants to revive the trade talks that were closed in 2018 between Mercosur Trade Block and Canada.
Her predecessor Mary NG emphasized large trade missions, which took months to plan. The ministers sometimes filled an aircraft with corporate and business leaders, spending enough time in one or two countries.
Sidhu said that he is hoping to bring small delegations of companies with him on his visits abroad, focusing on specific areas, “Whether it is South America, Indo-Pacific for Europe, for Africa.”
He said, “Businesses feel that they are listening, but they are also receiving high-level meetings in the opposite direction in the countries that we take them,” he said.
Ottawa is navigating its trade relations with China as the two countries work to revive the decades -old Joint Economic and Trade Commission, which is a platform to sort out trade bottlenecks.
China has been accused of engaging in tremendous trade practices during political disagreement with Ottawa and restricting some items or services such as tourism.
Sidhu said that the target is to offer “stability” to the target industry, “how we work through those challenges, and how do we ensure that those conversations are made facilitated.”
Sidhu also reduced the possibility of bilateral trade deal with the United Kingdom. The UK’s desire to sell more cheese in Canada collapsed last year and Britain blocked the Canadian hormone-credited beef.
The two countries are using a temporary deal after Britain leaving the European Union, and Britain will soon enter a business block that focuses on Pacific Rim, Sidhu said. He said that Canada will still be open for a full deal.
“If the UK and Canadian businesses already have access to 99 percent of goods that we do business, if we are looking at business agreements, we need to ensure that we are getting the best value for our interaction,” Sidhu said.
He also said that Canada can consider “sector-specific agreements” with other countries, rather than wide deals that spread most industries.
“We are very creative how we can open more doors,” he said.
Sidhu did not name specific countries, where the Canada region-specific agreements may pursue. Canada was looking at a trade agreement with India that would be limited to some areas – Ottawa has been associated with New Delhi after a murder in 2023 before a murder.
Ottawa launched security talks with India in this spring and agreed to re -establish high commissioners.
Sidu was asked when Canada could re -establish trade talks with India.
“This is a step-by-step approach,” he said, the final return of the top messengers “will help complete those very important conversations.”
Sidhu said that Global Affairs Canada is still explaining how the decision of the cost cut in all departments will affect the trade branch.
“This is actually going to be a concentrated approach, where we can have the best impact,” Sidhu said.
The Canadian Business Council has urged Ottawa to expand the number of trade commissioners, which provide contact on land for Canadian companies in search of export opportunities.
While Sidhu did not say whether Ottawa’s deduction would mean low trade commissioners, he said that he heard a clear message from the Chambers of Commerce that these posts are very valuable.
“It comes down to return to investment, which programs are working (and) we can get the best explosion for the Canadian industry and Canadian workers,” he said.
“Many business communities do not even know that (Business Commissioner Service) is to help. And so my job is to help increase it.”
This report of Canadian Press was first published on August 3, 2025.
Dylan Robertson, Canadian Press