Tories urge focus on ‘key industries,’ jobs in NAFTA talks

As the third round of NAFTA negotiations continues between Canada and its U.S. and Mexican counterparts, Conservative MPs are calling on the government to make the auto industry and jobs top priorities during the talks.

The talks have been ongoing since late last week in Ottawa, but there are indications that the renegotiation of the huge trilateral trade deal is progressing very slowly.

Conservative trade critic Erin O’Toole said Monday that his party is in the unusual position of supporting the government on this particular issue.

READ MORE: Canadians trust Trudeau government in NAFTA negotiations: Ipsos poll

“I want to welcome our friends from the United States and Mexico to Ottawa,” O’Toole said, calling the original NAFTA deal in the early 1990s a “Conservative achievement” under the Progressive Conservative banner.

“We support the government in their efforts to achieve a good deal with NAFTA … with respect to getting a deal for Canada.”

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However, O’Toole said, the Opposition still has concerns. Chief among them is the “lack of focus on employment and jobs,” particularly in the Canadian automotive sector, and the softwood lumber, agriculture and natural resources industries.

“We’ve yet to see the government articulate clear objectives for Canada, perhaps that will come out in the next few days. We hope it will.” O’Toole said.

WATCH: Chrystia Freeland remains tight-lipped while pressed on NAFTA talks

2:16 Chrystia Freeland remains tight-lipped while pressed on NAFTA talks

The Americans are trying to “set the table” to suggest the current situation in auto manufacturing, in particular, is unfair to the U.S., he noted.

“That’s not the case, (and) we should be refuting statistics that we have difficulty with. We should be setting the table ourselves — particularly when the table is in Ottawa.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "That's not the case, (and) we should be refuting statistics that we have difficulty with. We should be setting the table ourselves — particularly when the table is in Ottawa."

Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland outlined Canada’s priorities ahead of the negotiations back in August.

READ MORE: Talk of climate change may be off the books in NAFTA negotiations

At the time, she said Ottawa would prioritize, among other things, reforms to the investor-state dispute settlement process (Chapter 11), freer movement of professionals, the protection of Canada’s supply-management system for dairy and poultry, and the maintenance of a process to regulate anti-dumping and countervailing disputes like the one over softwood lumber.

The Liberal government says it is also pushing for more “progressive” elements in NAFTA 2.0: stronger labour standards, tougher environmental protection provisions as well as chapters on gender and Indigenous rights.