In an interview with the daily Globe and Mail, Emerson said: "I just would say flat out that free trade is where Canada's bread and butter has to be. The question is, what is the path you follow to get there."

He said he and China's Commerce Minister Bo Xilai agreed to try to speed up talks on a foreign investment promotion and protection agreement to safeguard investor rights in both countries.

"At some point, there will be a need for, I expect, a bilateral free trade type of negotiation," Emerson added.