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OTTAWA — The looming failure of free trade talks with the European Union would derail Canada’s push to reduce its dependence on the United States and potentially complicate negotiations with other nations, such as India and China.

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The deal matters, with Canada getting better access to a more than $17 trillion market with high per capita incomes.





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The EU’s hopes of signing the pact this week appeared to evaporate on Monday as the Belgian federal government failed to win the consent of regional authorities necessary to approve the deal.

The European deal would have given Canada preferential access to a market of 500 million people, more than the North American Free Trade Agreement(NAFTA), at a time when the U.S.-Canadian partnership is under pressure.

Canada sends 75 per cent of all its exports to the United States.