The Canadian government says the ousting of U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson by his party will not affect Canada’s negotiations on a free-trade agreement.
A spokeswoman for International Trade Minister Mary Ng says negotiations for the new deal will continue smoothly as Canada and the U.K. share a long history and close ties.
In a statement outside Downing Street today Johnson said he will be stepping down as prime minister after demands he go from Conservative MPs and the resignation of a string of his ministers.
He intends to stay on until a new leader is chosen but he is facing calls to leave office immediately, including from former Conservative Prime Minister John Major.
Johnson championed closer links with Canada, including on trade, after the U.K. left the European Union, kicking off negotiations on a free-trade agreement.
Canada and Britain are negotiating a new bilateral trade deal because the trade deals the two had under the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement dissolved when the U.K. left the European Union.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published 7 July 2022
The Canadian Press