Policy
Interprovincial trade barriers cost Canada’s economy as much as $130 billion in lost economic opportunities each and every year. It is completely foolish to allow this type of barriers to exist. It is doubly foolish when you look at our Constitution and see that trade barriers like these are prohibited. It is ridiculous to prevent the growth of businesses because they are not allowed to gain access to other provincial markets. And it is ridiculous to stop workers from travelling between provinces because their skills are not recognized. We should use article 121 of our Constitution, which states that interprovincial trade is a federal jurisdiction, to: 1) Establish an Economic Charter of Rights; and 2) Create an Economic Freedom Commission with the power to take provinces to court when their regulations infringe upon your freedom. A Charter of Economic Rights will establish the case for Ottawa’s intervention to protect the Constitution and allow for free trade between provinces. And an Economic Freedom Commission will find and stop breaches of the right to free trade between provinces. This is the right plan.
