Allison appointed trade critic
Niagara West MP Dean Allison hopes his new job will put him at the heart of huge international trade deals.
The west Niagara businessman who has represented the riding since 2004 was appointed as the Conservative party’s international trade critic.
“This is an important file, obviously, with what’s going on with NAFTA, softwood lumber, working on a free trade deal with China,” Allison said, Tuesday, about 15 minutes after Official Opposition Leader Andrew Scheer announced his new position with the Tories’ shadow cabinet.
“These are all important things because it will affect the livelihood of our friends, families and workers,” Allison said.
The international trade critic position was previous held by Battlefords–Lloydminster MP Gerry Ritz, while Allison was critic for international development. Although Allison said he would have been content to continue with his previous portfolio and did not actively pursue the trade position, he suspects his background in business likely made him “a good fit” for the position. North American Free Trade Agreement renegotiations resume on Friday.
Considering issues being discussed while developing the new trade deal for Canada, the U.S. and Mexico — such as agriculture, wine, supply management, and manufacturing — Allison hopes to “really make a difference in terms of prosperity for Canadians and for workers.”
Many of the issues discussed during trade negotiations have a direct impact on businesses within the region, he said.
“We have about 1,000 small manufacturers,” he said, adding it would be great if through enhanced international trade deals “we could figure out a way to have all these small manufacturers with less than 10 people double in size.”
Meanwhile, Allison is looking forward to getting to work. “My responsibilities will certainly gear up as we head back into the house and I get up to speed on the file,” he said.
“Trade is something that I’ve always followed, and being on the foreign affairs committee it’s not always overlapping, but there are certainly some connections.”
Niagara Falls MP Rob Nicholson is continuing in his role as the Conservative party’s justice critic.