Trade deal a good day for Canada, but concerns remain says Warkentin

Our Member of Parliament calls the new trade deal between Canada, Mexico, and the US an important day for Canada, but thinks concerns still remain.
 
Grande Prairie-Mackenzie MP Chris Warkentin says one of those is American softwood lumber tariffs. He believes Canada missed a chance to solve a long-standing trade irritant.
 
“This was our one opportunity, for the next 20 years, to look at getting this resolved. The Liberals didn’t get a settlement on that. It’s distressing and it’s a concern to everybody in the industry. Certainly, it’s a concern for us. We’ll continue to call the government to account for that.”
 
Another worry is American subsidies it pays to its farmers.
 
“In Canada, the taxpayer does not subsidize supply-managed farmers and the US producers have now been able to access additional elements of the Canadian marketplace. The Liberals made no effort it seems to work to reduce the amount of subsidies that the federal government on the American side gives to their dairy producers and their chicken producers,” says Warkentin
 
He is also worried about the possibility of higher drug costs because of the extension on patents from eight years to 10.
 
“All of the provinces will be looking at that. All the provinces that have weighed in thus far have indicated that they’re going to see an increase in drug costs because of that concession the Liberals made on that front.”  
 
Warkentin says this new agreement “isn’t the best deal”, but we do have to have the American market open to Canadian exporters.
 
He does not know when the new agreement will go before the House of Commons, but suspects that will come in a month or so. 

Farm groups pleased to see USMCA

Meanwhile, some farm groups are welcoming news of the new trade deal.

The Alberta Wheat Commission and Alberta Barely say they are pleased as this will ensure continued access to the US market for barley and wheat from this country.
 
The US is Canada’s biggest export market for wheat and second biggest for barley, after China.