By riyadtheblackboy@gmail.com 
Ontario and Manitoba are the latest provinces to pledge co-operation on removing trade barriers within Canada, promising to reach a deal on direct-to-consumer alcohol sales by next month’s end.
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew and Ontario Premier Doug Ford signed a memorandum of understanding on Wednesday at Queen’s Park that seeks to boost trade between the two provinces, including through legislation that increases the flow of goods and workers.
The memorandum also says that the provinces will reach a bilateral agreement on direct-to-consumer alcohol sales by June 30, building on a previous pledge by provinces to facilitate alcohol sales across jurisdictions. Manitoba already allows its residents to purchase alcohol directly from producers in other jurisdictions.
“Our two provinces already do approximately $19.5-billion of interprovincial trade every single year, but we can do better as neighbours and partners within Canada,” Mr. Ford said in a news conference.
Federal and provincial leaders are going after regulatory differences and barriers between jurisdictions that stifle the flow of goods and workers, a national effort that was sparked by U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canadian goods.
Prime Minister Mark Carney has promised to introduce legislation to tackle any barriers imposed at the federal level on internal trade and labour mobility by July 1, joining several provinces who are pursuing similar legislation.
Last month, Ontario signed memorandums of understanding on internal trade with Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. However, those agreements did not include specific commitments to reach bilateral deals on direct-to-consumer alcohol sales and instead pledged to work toward a framework.