QUESTION PERIOD — Foreign Affairs and International Trade
Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement
June 4, 2019
Honourable senators, my question is for the Leader of the Government in the Senate. The tax dispute that has recently arisen between the United States and Mexico presents some new challenges in the ratification of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement. It also likely throws a wrench into your government’s plan to ratify the agreement before the end of this session of Parliament, a situation that is creating even more uncertainty for the Canadian economy.
Could you tell us whether your Prime Minister intends to extend this session of Parliament so that the agreement that was negotiated, even if it does favour the Americans, can be signed before the summer break, or could he sign this agreement without Mexico’s participation?
Again, I thank the honourable senator for his question. He will know that the Government of Canada has indicated that it and the Government of the United States propose to move forward with their respective ratification processes — as is the Government of Mexico, I should add — in rough parallel. He will also know that the government has tabled legislation in the House of Commons for the consideration of the house, as is appropriate in Canada, and that similar ratification processes have been launched in the United States.
How these processes proceed will be iterative and in relation to what is happening outside of Canada. It is the objective of the government, of course, to ensure the early ratification of this important agreement because this agreement brings many benefits to the Canadian economy and is one that this government is certainly proud to have reached.
