the conservative party of canada was opposed to free trade until 1984 - because it held to the old tory mercantilist model of state capitalism. it broadly rejected the ideology of free markets as a lot of liberal nonsense. but, it had to change under mulroney, given where thatcher and reagan were headed - neo-liberalism.

the legacy of canadian toryism is probably why canada was so slow to embrace neo-liberalism.

in canada, these ideas of free trade & free markets are historically attached to the liberal party.