OTTAWA – Interim leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP), Don Davies, has urged Prime Minister Mark Carney to uphold the previous Liberal government's commitments to the NDP. He is requesting that the Prime Minister disclose pertinent information regarding any ongoing trade negotiations with the United States in the House of Commons.
This appeal comes in advance of the upcoming G7 summit scheduled to take place in Kananaskis, Alberta, from June 15 to 17, where Carney is set to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump. The two leaders are expected to continue discussions aimed at establishing a new economic and security partnership between Canada and the United States.
In a letter addressed to Carney on May 29, Davies expressed the NDP's apprehension that the Canadian government may have engaged in "preliminary" discussions with the Trump administration regarding the renegotiation of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), set to undergo a review next year.
Davies emphasized that these conversations appear to be progressing without the level of transparency that Canadian citizens were promised. In his letter, he pointed out that in February 2020, former Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland made commitments in writing to ensure that the government would table a notice of intent for trade negotiations in the House of Commons at least 90 days prior to their commencement. Additionally, she pledged to outline negotiation objectives at least 30 days before discussions began and to provide an economic impact assessment to accompany any implementation legislation.
These commitments were articulated in a letter sent to former NDP MP Daniel Blaikie after he called for changes to the negotiation and ratification process for trade agreements. Freeland’s 2020 correspondence indicated that these provisions would be integrated into the government’s revised Policy on Tabling Treaties in Parliament, highlighting the NDP's push for greater transparency in the free trade negotiation process.
In his letter, Davies articulated concerns that there is currently no indication that these promised steps are being observed. He stressed that Canadians "deserve" transparency and should be kept informed about discussions pertaining to labor issues and treaty matters.
Following a May 27 interview with CBC’s “Power & Politics,” Carney acknowledged the necessity for progress on U.S. tariff issues before moving forward with trade discussions. On May 5, after a meeting with Trump in the Oval Office, Carney indicated that the U.S. President is open to negotiating a new trade arrangement with Canada. He described the negotiation landscape as "complex," acknowledging that it may involve various challenges but expressing optimism about the potential outcomes.
As of now, a request for comment from the Prime Minister’s Office has not been promptly responded to. This report marks a critical view into the political dynamics surrounding Canadian trade negotiations and the insistence on accountability and transparency from elected leaders.
