FRANCE AND CANADA

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 165, 6 April 1908, Page 7

FRANCE AND CANADA

[ A DIRECT SERVICE. THE COMMERCIAL TREATY. BY TELEGRAPH —MESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGnI. (Rec. April 5, 7.47 p.m.) Ottawa, April 4. Tho Hon. L. P. Brodeur, Minister for Marine, speaking in the Dominion House of Commons, announced that tho Allan Lino would undertake a dircct servico between Canada and Franco, at a subsidy of a hundred thousand dollars. The- subsidy would be doubled if trade under tho new French treaty warranted it. ' SCOPE OF THE TREATY. In the Dominion Houso of Commons, on 'January 14, Mr.' Fielding, Minister of Finance, gave an explanation of tho FrancoCanadian commercial treaty. Ho said that its benefits wero extended to all parts of'the British Empire, so that Australia and other Dominions which did not participate in Canada's British preferential tariff jvould sharo equally with Franco tho reduction of duties under tho treaty. It would also extend to nations' having most-favourod-nation arrangements with Groat Britain advantages similar to thoso granted to France. While tho homo market was important and increasing) yet tho truo prosperity of Canada depended to a considerable degree on the successful prosecution of tho overseas trade. The greatest overseas market 'was that of Groat Britain, towards tho development of which a great deal had been dono by improved means of transport and cold storage and, last but not least, by tho preferential tariff on British goods, under which the total trade witli tho Motherland had increased from 98,935,000d01. (£19,787,000) in 1897 to 208,740,000d01. (£41,749,000) last year. (Cheers.) Canadian exporters, however, desired to extend their trade over tho wide .world, and this was a reason for the conclusion of tho treaty with France, which would certainly increase trade with that country. Mr Fielding went'on to say:—Under the treaties made with Great Britain Canada would be obliged to give the following countries, the same benefits that she had given to Franco—namely, Argentina, Austria-Hun-gary, Bolivia, Colombia, Denmark, Japan, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Venezuela, Norway, •Persia, and Switzerland. Theso countries had no considerable trade with Canada; therefore the concessions. granted to theso nations would not bo important. Ho admitted that there wore some items of tho treaty as to which tho advantages wore only prospective; but ho could say with confidence that there was no important articlo which Canada exported that was not- covered by tho treaty. Whilo ho hoped tho result would bo an expansion of trade, ho also trusted' that Canada was doing something to the splendid efforts of his Majesty to bring about tho good relations how existing between Great Britain and France.

_ Sir. Foster, ox-Minister of Finance, criticised tho treaty, but not in an unfriendly spirit., His present, view was that, the. treaty would not accomplish much good and could not do much harm. Canada was not securing any spccial favour from France. Sho was getting minimum treatment of a partial nature only., Sho was not placed in as good a position as were 34 nations of the world, and tho competition of other countries in tho markets of Franco would bo very keen,.