In a strongly worded opinion piece focusing on the federal Liberal caucus meeting in Kelowna in two weeks, the Canada West Foundation says a number of Western MPs, including Kelowna-Lake Country香蕉视频直播檚 Stephen Fuhr, have been silent on what it calls an important international trade agreement that will determine this region香蕉视频直播檚 future.

And it香蕉视频直播檚 urging the Liberal MPs, especially those from B.C, to speak up in support of the deal.

The piece, written by the foundation香蕉视频直播檚 trade and investment director Carlo Dade, says despite the U.S.香蕉视频直播檚 withdrawal, the Trans Pacific Partnership is alive and well and needs the Liberal government香蕉视频直播檚 attention as it will help regions like the Okanagan 香蕉视频直播渃atch up with the Australians and surge past the Americans香蕉视频直播� when it comes to trade with Asia.

Calling the TPP the 香蕉视频直播渕ost important trade development to date,香蕉视频直播� and given that a trade agreement with China would likely take close to a decade to conclude, Dade said the TPP is the only opportunity for the foreseeable future. And he is calling on Canada to ratify the deal.

香蕉视频直播淩ather than killing the TPP, (U.S.) President (Donald) Trump香蕉视频直播檚 withdrawal has strengthened the resolve of the remaining countries,香蕉视频直播� writes Dade.

香蕉视频直播淚t has also made the agreement better for Canada. Economic modelling in a Canada West Foundation report shows that Canada does better in a TPP without the U.S. in the agreement with huge tariff and other advantages over American exporters in timber, wine, seafood, fruits and vegetables and business services 香蕉视频直播� all important to the Central Okanagan, B.C. and the West.香蕉视频直播�

He says the advantages would continue for as long as it takes the Americans to catch up in signing trade agreements in Asia.

香蕉视频直播淕iven the Trump administration香蕉视频直播檚 record so far, this is a window that is open but needs to be seized as soon as possible.香蕉视频直播�

So he is urging Western Liberal MPs to 香蕉视频直播渟tep up香蕉视频直播� and urge the federal government to commit to ratifying the TPP during their caucus meeting in Kelowna Sept. 5 to 7.

香蕉视频直播淚n the West, we are watching and hoping,香蕉视频直播� writes Dade.

He says simply announcing 18 months of consultations on the TPP is not good enough.

The Canada West Foundation is a Calgary-based think tank that focuses on issues affecting Western provinces as well as issues of national significance.

Founded in 1970, the foundation has been linked in the past with the former Reform Party of Canada, which became the Canadian Alliance in 2000. In 2003, the Canadian Alliance merged with the Progressive Conservative Party to form the current Conservative Party of Canada.

Reform Party stalwarts were influential in the Conservative Party, particularly under former prime minister Stephen Harper, a founding member of the Reform Party. It was under Harper香蕉视频直播檚 Conservative government that Canada joined the TPP negotiations.