Minister Joly welcomes the successful conclusion of discussions on a new Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

Montréal, January 24, 2018

The Government of Canada is pleased to announce that Canada and the 10 other members of the Trans‑Pacific Partnership have concluded discussions in Tokyo, Japan, on a new Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

The progressive agreement reached in Tokyo today is the right deal. The government stood up for Canadian interests, and this agreement meets our objectives of creating and sustaining growth, prosperity and well‑paying middle-class jobs today and for generations to come.

Canada stood up for its cultural industries and secured the unanimous agreement of all other parties to ensure that Canadian culture is protected. The government successfully preserved the flexibility to adopt programs and policies that support the creation, distribution, and development of Canadian artistic expression or content, including in the digital space. We also negotiated an explicit recognition for Canada to act in these areas in ways that serve and preserve our cultural sovereignty.

Preserving our cultural sovereignty in a fast-changing policy space ‎was our priority, and the Government of Canada made it abundantly clear to our partners that an exemption on the cultural items was a necessary component of any agreement.