A large majority of Canadian business executives believe the country has benefited from free trade and should initiate similar agreements with Europe, according to a survey released Thursday by law firm Miller Thomson LLP.
As much as 90 percent of the 200 respondents claimed they believe the country has benefited from existing free-trade programs, while 60 percent believe establishing free-trade agreements with the European Union should be a top government priority.
"These results are a testament to how much Canadian businesses are paying attention to markets beyond our borders," said Gerald Courage, chairman of Miller Thomson. "As a national business law firm, we can attest to just how important the issue of free trade has become to our domestic and increasingly international client base."
Additionally, 37 percent of executives polled believe there is an urgent need to examine the country's trading relationship with China. Last year, Canada struck a deal to double trade with the country by 2015.
Also recently, High Commissioner of Canada in India Stewart Beck pledged to increase trade with India from US$4 billion to US$15 billion over the next five years.
