Stephen Harper announced Monday morning that Canada had signed on to the largest free-trade agreement in history.
But the deal still has to make it through a vote in the House of Commons, and with a majority government looking less and less likely when analyzing the latest polls, the Conservatives will need at least one other party to sign on to the agreement – so will the Liberals and NDP vote for the deal? It’s not entirely clear.
Here’s what each leader has said about the deal.
Stephen Harper
Harper has been clear in his support for the deal, and he said Monday that the plan will go a long way in fulfilling his promise of creating 1.3 million more jobs. His party’s support for the plan was clear.
“We clearly have a deal we think we should be a part of. So that is the deal, and the decision for the next parliament will be to ratify and implement or not. Our view is that this deal is without any doubt whatsoever in the best interest of the Canadian economy,” he said.
“Ten years from now, I predict with 100 per cent certainty, people are looking back, they will say if we got in it, they’ll say that was a great thing, and if we haven’t, they’ll say that was a terrible error. I have absolutely no doubt that this is a good deal.”
Justin Trudeau
WATCH: Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau was asked at a campaign event Monday morning if his government, if elected, would support the deal.
Trudeau sat on the fence when asked Monday morning, not saying whether his party would support or reject the deal. Instead, he said, the Liberal Party is “pro-trade” while also saying the party as “deplored” the “secrecy and obfuscation” involved in the negotiation process.
“The Liberal Party of Canada is a resolutely pro-trade party. We know that trade is important for jobs, for good paying jobs, for economic growth, that this deal includes three of our five largest trading partners. Obviously this is a very, very important deal. We have deplored from the very beginning that this PM has always, every step of the way, chosen secrecy and obfuscation over openness and transparency.”
“We’re going to look carefully at the elements of this deal to ensure that it is in the best interests of Canadians.”
“We will also commit that the ratification process for this deal will go through a full and honest and open discussion.”
Tom Mulcair
WATCH: Mulcair blasts Harper over TPP agreement, vows to overturn deal if elected.
Prior to the negotiations being finalized, NDP Leader Tom Mulcair said his party doesn’t feel bound by any agreement made by the current government. He repeated that position Monday and suggested pulling out of the deal wouldn’t affect Canada’s economic reputation.
“I will not be bound by Stephen Harper’s secret deals.”
“Stephen Harper is selling out our auto workers, sacrificing our farming families, making prescription drugs more expensive, risking our Canadian culture. Stephen Harper has to come clean and has to release the full text ahead of the election.”
“If elected, Canada will not be part of an agreement that removes 20,000 Canadian jobs. Period.”
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