Alberta Premier Daniel Smith said he agrees it may be time to exclude Mexico from the trilateral free trade agreement with Canada and the United States.
“Mexico is moving in a different direction, and it’s clear that Americans want a fair trade relationship,” Smith told CTV’s Question Period host Vassy Kapelos in an interview broadcast Sunday. Ta. “Mexico is not in a position to provide that, especially given the investment from China.”
“We have to put Canada first,” she added.
The trilateral agreement, first signed in 1994 and then known as NAFTA, was renegotiated during former President and now President-elect Donald Trump’s first term.
During his last campaign, Trump vowed to reopen the agreement when it is reviewed in 2026.
Meanwhile, Ontario Premier Doug Ford floated the idea earlier this week of excluding Mexico from the trilateral agreement in favor of a bilateral agreement between Canada and the U.S., a proposal Smith said he supports “1000 per cent.” He said he is doing so.
Most of what Alberta sends to the United States is energy exports. Smith said Alberta’s trade relationship with the United States is $188 billion, compared to $2.9 billion with Mexico.
“That’s important, but our absolute top priority is to maintain a strong trade relationship with the United States, and if we have to enter into a bilateral agreement to do that, then we should do it,” she said. said.
Ford Mexico on Tuesday accused China of being a “back door” to bring its products, namely cars, into North America and of “squeezing” Canadian and American workers.
Asked about Ford’s comments earlier this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said, “Almost every partner democracy around the world has expressed varying degrees of concern about China’s overcapacity.”
Prime Minister Trudeau said a “desire to protect good jobs” along with responsible environmental protection and labor protections would be a “big topic” for the new Trump administration, but he did not say whether he would consider forcibly removing Mexico. I didn’t make it clear. About future free trade agreements.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland told reporters Wednesday that she has heard concerns from both the outgoing Biden administration and incoming Trump administration officials that “Mexico is not acting like Canada and the United States when it comes to economic relations.” He said he heard it. With China. ”
“I think these are legitimate concerns that our partners and neighbors have,” Freeland said. “Those are things I’m concerned about as well.”
Derek Burney, former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney’s chief of staff during the original NAFTA negotiations, said it would be “childish” for Canada to try to exclude Mexico from the deal.
Mr. Bernie, who later served as Canada’s ambassador to the United States, also told Mr. Kapelos in an interview broadcast Sunday that Canada should focus on its relationship with the United States, not its relationship with Mexico.
“I don’t think there’s any need to be provocative,” he said. “I think the Mexicans are doing enough things to give the Americans enough trouble without our help.”
“Therefore, we do not recommend taking such actions,” he added.
Bernie said Canada should focus on areas where there is potential for collaboration and cooperation with the United States: energy, liquefied natural gas and critical minerals.
“The Mexican side is going to have a lot of issues to deal with, just like the U.S. side,” Bernie said. “They don’t need our help and won’t ask for our help, so let them solve their problems with the Americans themselves.”
In the interview, Mr. Bernie also talked about the need to increase defense spending sooner than currently planned if Canada wants to get serious about other issues in negotiations with the United States. .
In the interview, Smith also spoke about federal oil and gas emissions caps, a policy she fiercely opposes, and her efforts to work with the people President Trump is bringing into his administration. .
You can watch Daniel Smith’s full interview on CTV Question Period, airing Sundays at 11pm/8pm on CTV and CTV News Channel.
