Canada’s premiers have wanted to scrap internal trade barriers for years. Why is it hard to do? [Video]

Canada’s premiers and federal officials are pitching cutting interprovincial trade barriers to guard against a looming trade war with the United States, arguing it could boost the Canadian economy by billions of dollars.

The idea gained steam on Wednesday after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hosted a virtual meeting with the premiers. Trudeau said in a statement there was agreement that “more work is to be done to facilitate internal trade.”

In an interview with CBC News, Internal Trade Minister Anita Anand said removing existing barriers “could lower prices by up to 15 per cent, boost productivity by up to seven per cent and add up to $200 billion to the domestic economy.”

Given the benefits, what are these barriers and why do they exist at all? CBC’s The House spoke to experts and former officials about Canada’s new push to liberalize internal trade and why there’s been slow progress on the issue.

What are provincial trade barriers?

…