Prime Minister Stephen Harper may be all smiles during his summit with European Union leaders in Ottawa Friday, as they celebrate the end of five years of tough trade negotiations on the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement.
But Canadians — those who like CETA, and those who don't — are already shifting gears for the rough road to ratification that looms in Europe.
Herman Van Rompuy, the president of the European Council (representing the heads of state or government for Europe's member countries), and Jose Manuel Barroso, the president of the European Commission (the EU's executive branch), are in Ottawa to discuss shared concerns, including the crisis in Syria and Iraq.
But it's the trade deal, touted as a boost to ailing economies, that's meant to provide the good news.
If the smiles are forced, it may be because the pressure's on.
Barroso's Canadian hosts are eager to put pen to paper, pleased with getting Europe to bend on 98% of the tariff lines on Canadian goods.
Within two years, Canadians want to be selling Europe's 500 million consumers more seafood, beef and pork. And they didn't have to dismantle the milk marketing boards to get there.
But this is Barroso's farewell tour. His presidency ends within days. And his successor, Jean-Claude Juncker, sees CETA somewhat differently.
Harper and Barroso announced the end of negotiations in August. A senior government source said on Thursday they're about to release the final text.
The European Council and the EU parliament must approve the deal.
Barroso doesn't believe the EU's 28 member states need to vote to ratify it in their own parliaments, but Juncker has indicated it could be put to a vote in each country.
In that case, a defeat anywhere could scuttle it.
Juncker also is open to sacrificing CETA's controversial investor-state dispute settlement provisions, which are meant to protect companies from arbitrary government decisions by giving them a way to challenge laws or regulations and sue for damages.
On Thursday, Germany's deputy chancellor, Sigmar Gabriel, told the German parliament that "it's completely clear that we reject these investment protection agreements."
Powerful German players, including the labour movement that supports Gabriel's Social Democratic Party, want these "private courts" out of the deal in return for their support.
International Trade Minister Ed Fast said Thursday he'd had no indication from the German government it wouldn't support CETA.
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