(Calgary) Canadian beef and pork farmers are calling on MPs to vote against Britain joining a major Asia-Pacific trade group.

Farmers, as well as Canadian meat processors, are unhappy with Saturday’s announcement that the UK has secured membership in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

The CPTPP is a trading bloc that includes Canada and 10 other nations, encompassing 500 million people and 15% of the global economy.

But the Canadian meat industry says the UK should not be able to join because Canadian beef and pork producers do not have fair access to the UK market.

In particular, the United Kingdom refuses to accept beef treated with growth hormones, a common practice in Canada.

The meat industry believes the Federal Government must reject UK membership of the trading bloc by a vote in Parliament, or compensate farmers and processors for the financial losses that will result.