REGINA — Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister Lyle Stewart says he believes there's a fifty-fifty chance the United States will repeal labelling laws that have complicated Canadian meat exports.
U.S. lawmakers are working on the text of an omnibus bill on government spending that could change country of origin labelling, known as COOL.
Stewart says it's likely the last chance to see the meat-labelling law repealed until after the next U.S. presidential election in November 2016.
He says Saskatchewan will encourage Ottawa to take retaliatory actions immediately if COOL isn't repealed.
Stewart says it's not a choice to be taken lightly because the U.S. is Canada's largest trading partner, but he also notes that the World Trade Organization has ruled the U.S. to be in non-compliance four times.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said he's prepared to impose tariffs on American goods if the meat-labelling law isn't repealed.
