Canada's provincial leaders want a free trade deal with the US that excludes Mexico
The leader of Canada’s most populous province says all of the country’s provincial and territorial premiers want Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's federal government to negotiate a bilateral trade deal with the United States that excludes Mexico
TORONTO — The leader of Canada's most populous province said Wednesday that all of the country's provincial and territorial governments want Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's federal government to negotiate a bilateral trade deal with the United States that excludes Mexico.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford chaired a phone call with all 13 provincial and territorial premiers and said they want Trudeau to do a straight bilateral trade deal with the U.S., Canada's top trading partner.
The meeting and Ford's comments come as provincial and federal governments in Canada prepare for the uncertainty of another Donald Trump presidency.
«There’s a clear consensus that everyone agrees that we need a bilateral trade deal with the U.S. and a separate bilateral trade deal with Mexico,” Ford told reporters in Toronto after the call with provincial leaders.
“We know Mexico’s is bringing in cheap Chinese parts, slapping made in Mexico stickers on, and shipping it up through the U.S. and Canada, causing American jobs to be lost and Canadian jobs. We want fair trade,» he said.
Ford said they've asked for a meeting with Trudeau's government to discuss the issue.
Canada’s federal government did not rule out sidelining Mexico in future trade talks on Tuesday. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said she shares U.S. concerns about Mexico serving as a back door for China to import cheaper goods into the North American market as a review of the trade pact known as the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement looms.
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