Canada urged to protect US market access if Nafta renegotiated

OTTAWA: Canadian manufacturers want their access to the United States market protected at all costs if Canada renegotiates the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta) trade deal with US presidentelect Donald Trump, even if that means losing the trilateral partnership with Mexico.

Amid fears a Trump administration will tear up the Nafta, the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters (CME) group is lobbying Canada’s Liberal government to prioritise the US-Canada trade relationship, saying a bilateral side deal with Mexico could be worked out separately.

“We spoke to our members, and based on trade stats alone, the priority has to be the US market,” said Mathew Wilson, senior vice-president at the CME, which represents some 10,000 manufacturers.

Some 75 per cent of Canadian exports go to the US.

“Mexico is still an important market for Canadian exporters and businesses, but if anything did happen with Nafta, we expect the government would be able to, quickly, negotiate a deal,” Wilson added.

The group has reached out to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and is in discussions with trade officials to ensure the US market remains open to Canadian exporters, whose business is enmeshed with US manufacturers after 22 years under Nafta. Reuters