The B.C. Conservative Party has criticized Premier David Eby’s 10-day trip to Asia, calling it mere “damage control” and accusing him of failing on both international and interprovincial trade. The Conservatives argue that immediately after forcibly pushing through Bill 14 and Bill 15, Eby is now trying to distract from his failed economic policies.
Teresa Wat, MLA for Richmond–Bridgeport and the Official Opposition Critic for Trade, stated, “The Premier has done nothing to advance B.C.’s trade agenda. If anything, he’s worked to significantly undermine any progress B.C. had made.”
She added, “Had the NDP government not shut down 13 freestanding trade offices, we wouldn’t now be playing catch-up in the face of mounting threats of increased U.S. tariffs.”
In 2019, the B.C. NDP government closed 13 freestanding trade offices in China, Japan, India, South Korea, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Singapore. This involved shutting down physical offices, cutting staff, and shifting trade operations to existing Canadian embassies.
Wat said the decision “severely weakened trade relationships that had taken years to build in these countries.”
She further noted, “It’s no surprise that exports to China have dropped by 20%, to Japan by 20%, and to Korea by 11%, with trade with India also declining over the past five years. Meanwhile, reliance on the U.S. market has increased by 27.”
The B.C. Conservative caucus is calling for all 13 freestanding trade offices to be reopened and is urging the government to consider expanding trade offices into new regions so that British Columbia can find new markets for its exports.
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