Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he needs to see a bilateral commerce deal between Canada and the U.S. if Mexico doesn’t crack down on “unfair” Chinese language auto imports into North America.
“Free trade needs to be fair,” Ford mentioned in an announcement. “Since signing on to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, Mexico has allowed itself to become a backdoor for Chinese cars, auto parts and other products into Canadian and American markets, putting Canadian and American workers’ livelihoods at risk while undermining our communities and doing enormous harm to our shared economic success.”
Ford made the feedback days after U.S. voters handed a decisive win to Donald Trump within the U.S. presidential election. Trump has vowed to impose tariffs on buying and selling companions and has mentioned he want to renegotiate the USMCA deal that was signed with Canada and Mexico to switch NAFTA in his first time period.
“If Mexico won’t fight transshipment by, at the very least, matching Canadian and American tariffs on Chinese imports, they shouldn’t have a seat at the table or enjoy access to the largest economy in the world,” Ford mentioned. “Instead, we must prioritize the closest economic partnership on earth by directly negotiating a bilateral U.S.-Canada free trade agreement that puts U.S. and Canadian workers first.”
Talking at an unrelated information convention Tuesday, Ford mentioned Ontario has “1,000 per cent” extra stake within the commerce association than some other jurisdiction and that the province could be the third-largest buying and selling associate for the U.S. if it have been a standalone nation.
“You look at Mexico, they’re importing cheap products – undercutting our hard-working men and women not only here, but in the U.S. – from China,” Ford mentioned. “They’re slapping a ‘Made in Mexico’ sticker on and shipping it up and taking our hard-working men and women’s jobs away from them. Unacceptable.”
He additionally mentioned he’s mentioned the problem with the opposite premiers.
Requested about Ford’s feedback at a information convention, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau mentioned “just about all” of Canada’s associate democracies are involved about “Chinese overcapacity around unfair trade practices that the Chinese economy is inflicting on the world” and are responding in numerous methods.
“We’re going to continue to work with partners like the United States and hopefully Mexico as well, to make sure that we are united in our desire to protect good jobs that are more responsible around the environment than they are in China, more responsible around labour practices and supporting families in meaningful ways,” Trudeau mentioned.
“There’s lots of work to be doing, and that’s, I know, a big topic conversation that we’re going to have with the new American administration in the coming months.”
The prime minister didn’t say whether or not he thought a bilateral commerce cope with the U.S. could be a superb resolution.
In an announcement to CP24.com, the pinnacle of the largest auto-sector union in Canada mentioned Ford “raises an area of shared concern” for all North American auto employees and that auto employees right here wish to see Canada “aggressively” defending their jobs.
“The potential flood of Chinese vehicles into North America poses an immediate threat to jobs, auto plants, and the EV supply chain,” Unifor President Lana Payne mentioned. “Canada and the U.S. are aligned, and have acted, but Mexico has held back.”
She mentioned a “continent-wide strategy” is required to handle the threats dealing with the sector, and to guard employees and investments within the business.
“With Mexico as a backdoor to Chinese imports, and a reckless tariff plan proposed by President-elect Trump, Canada must be aggressively defending jobs and our economy,” Payne mentioned.
The Mexican embassy and International Affairs Canada didn’t instantly reply to requests for touch upon Ford’s remarks.
