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 CTV鈥檚 Question Period, the federal leader of the New Democrats said as long as the agreement is fair, he鈥檚 willing to deal.
鈥淭he trade has to be fair. So, the agreements whether it鈥檚 multilateral, whether it鈥檚 bilateral, those agreements are all on the table,鈥� 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 鈥渁bsolutely.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檇 be open to any form of trade as long as it鈥檚 fair, as long as the agreements are fair we should be open to any form,鈥� he said.
His comments were made as Trump鈥檚 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, Canada鈥檚 unfair trade practices.
It鈥檚 been floated, and stated by the American leader himself that he鈥檚 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. administration鈥檚 imposition of tariffs on Canada and Mexico鈥檚 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.
鈥淎s long as the agreements are fair for workers, that they don鈥檛 put undue burdens on the environment, they don鈥檛 take away rights from workers, they create a competitive environment,鈥� Singh said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got to make sure that it鈥檚 a fair deal, any sort of deal is on the table.鈥�
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.
鈥淚n a trade war scenario, we鈥檝e got retaliatory measures and tariffs and different things going back and forth. It鈥檚 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,鈥� he said.
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