RESISTANCE from a stubborn Canada and protectionist Malaysia is emerging as the biggest hurdle ahead of a crucial Trans-Pacific Partnership meeting starting in Hawaii on Tuesday.
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Trade negotiators believe sealing a ministerial-level deal at the TPP on the island of Maui is critical, because further delays risk negotiations dragging the talks into the US election season where populist anti-free trade rhetoric could jeopardise any deal.
Trade sources say an in-principle TPP deal at the Maui meeting would allow time for legal documents to be prepared for leaders like US President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Tony Abbott to officially sign at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in the Philippines in November.
