Canada opposition MPs could delay ratification of trade pact with U.S., Mexico

Avante

11/12/2019 21:23

By David Ljunggren
    OTTAWA, Dec 11 (Reuters) - Canada's two main opposition
parties on Wednesday suggested they could move to delay
ratification of a new continental trade pact, accusing the
Liberal government of botching revisions to the treaty.
    Such a move would embarrass Prime Minister Justin Trudeau,
who has vowed that Parliament will quickly approve the
U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Senior officials for all
three nations formally approved a series of amendments on
Tuesday for the pact meant to replace the North American Free
Trade Agreement (NAFTA).  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N28L0YJ
    Trudeau lost his majority in the House of Commons in an
October election and needs the support of other parties to
quickly push through ratification. Opposition legislators can
engage in procedural maneuvers to delay the process. 
    The Conservative Party complained the Liberals had not
consulted them at all in the final stages of negotiations on the
amendments. Conservative legislator Leona Alleslev told the
House that Trudeau had "sheepishly accepted" the terms put
forward by the United States and Mexico.
    "When will the prime minister realize that here at home he
doesn't have control of Parliament and he needs the support of
opposition before finalizing major agreements?" she said.
    Trudeau responded by saying he was sure all legislators
would back the deal.
    That is very unlikely since the separatist Bloc Quebecois
promised to vote against the treaty on the grounds that it did
not protect the powerful aluminum industry in the province of
Quebec.
    The USMCA says 70% of the steel and aluminum used in autos
production must be produced in North America, but specifically
bans the use of semi-finished steel from China and elsewhere.
There is no such provision for aluminum.
    Bloc leader Yves-Francois Blanchet called the deal a
catastrophe for Quebec's aluminum workers and accused Trudeau of
abandoning the industry.
    Trudeau countered that the deal was good news, noting Quebec
would produce much of aluminum used in North American auto
plants.
    Deputy Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, who led Canada's
negotiating team, earlier told reporters she had invited her
U.S. counterpart "to have a conversation with Canada about what
we can do to support the North American aluminum industry."

 (Reporting by David Ljunggren
Editing by Bill Berkrot)
 ((david.ljunggren@thomsonreuters.com; +1 613 235 6745; fax +1
613 235 5890; Reuters Messaging:
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