NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh would be open to signing a bilateral trade deal with the United States if President Donald Trump decides to tear up NAFTA.
In an interview with Evan Solomon, host of CTVās Question Period, the federal leader of the New Democrats said as long as the agreement is fair, heās willing to deal.
āThe trade has to be fair. So, the agreements whether itās multilateral, whether itās bilateral, those agreements are all on the table,ā Singh said.
Asked specifically if he would be would be ok if Trump ripped up the North American Free Trade Agreement and turned to Canada to work out something between the two countries, Singh said āabsolutely.ā
āIād be open to any form of trade as long as itās fair, as long as the agreements are fair we should be open to any form,ā he said.
His comments were made as Trumpās tough talk on trade was a central focus at the G7 summit in Quebec. Over the last few weeks, Trump has ratcheted up his attacks on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and, as he perceives it, Canadaās unfair trade practices.
Itās been floated, and stated by the American leader himself that heās contemplating a different approach to stalled NAFTA talks: trying to negotiate separate deals with both Canada and Mexico.
This has all followed the U.S. administrationās imposition of tariffs on Canada and Mexicoās steel and aluminum industries. Both countries have responded with retaliatory countermeasures, though Canada and Mexico have said they are still willing to work out a modernized NAFTA agreement.
āAs long as the agreements are fair for workers, that they donāt put undue burdens on the environment, they donāt take away rights from workers, they create a competitive environment,ā Singh said. āWeāve got to make sure that itās a fair deal, any sort of deal is on the table.ā
Singh also said the impacts of workers are often overshadowed in the exchange of rhetoric involved in trade wars, and suggested the government consider the tools at its disposal to assist those hurt by the steel and aluminum tariffs, without offering a specific suggestion.
āIn a trade war scenario, weāve got retaliatory measures and tariffs and different things going back and forth. Itās important to keep that focus on what we can do to insure that workers get a good deal out of this, that workers are protected,ā he said.
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