Ontario: Ontario Premier Doug Ford asked for compensation from the federal government for the dairy farmers saying they will be adversely affected by the newly-signed United States Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA), the trilateral deal signed between Canada, the United States and Mexico replacing North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
Ford, in the assembly, dubbed USMCA as an “unfair deal” and asserted that he will stand by the farmers, automobile industry and the steel and aluminum industry.
“We’re going to stand up for our farmers and our agriculture sector. We’re going to protect the workers in our steel, aluminum, and automotive industries. And we’re going to hold the federal government accountable to ensure our dairy farmers are fairly compensated,” Ford tweeted.
He further assured the people that he will make sure that there is a fair deal with the US.
The leader of the National Democratic Party of Canada, Jagmeet Singh dubbed the deal as a worse deal than NAFTA and stated that the Canadian government should get a better deal.
“Canadian workers need their government to fight for trade deals that work for them. With #USMCA, we have a new name, but a worse deal. From concessions that’ll hurt our farmers, to making medication more expensive – this deal is not the progressive solution Canadians need,” he tweeted.
On Sunday night, the three countries reached an agreement to update the NAFTA, the 1994 deal that governs more than $1.2 trillion worth of trade among the US, Canada and Mexico.
In a press release from the White House, Washington introduced the agreement as a “great deal for all three countries, solves the many deficiencies and mistakes in NAFTA, greatly opens markets to our farmers and manufacturers, reduces trade barriers to the U.S. and will bring all three Great Nations together in competition with the rest of the world.”
Dubbing the old NAFTA deal as a failure and deficient, the White House asserted that the new deal will benefit the American workers, farmers, and businesses.
US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, in a joint statement, stated that the new deal will create freer markets, fairer business and a better economic growth for the three countries.
“USMCA will give our workers, farmers, ranchers, and businesses a high-standard trade agreement that will result in freer markets, fairer trade and robust economic growth in our region,” the statement read. “It will strengthen the middle class, and create good, well-paying jobs and new opportunities for the nearly half billion people who call North America home,” the statement read.
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