Brad Wall
Aug. 27, 2018
Osler special advisor and former Saskatchewan premier Brad Wall tells BNN Bloomberg that Canada needs to “get a deal” done with the U.S. and Mexico. In his article, author Shane McNeil discusses the state of trade negotiations and the decision by U.S. President Donald Trump to abandon the NAFTA name. Brad says the name of the trade pact doesn’t matter as much as actually reaching an agreement.
“Let’s not get hung up on the name,” Brad tells BNN Bloomberg. “Who cares what it’s called, as long as we have a sustainable and beneficial trilateral North American trade deal? … The kind of trade deal that has, I would argue, benefited all three economies significantly since it was signed.”
Brad says that he hopes the Canadian federal government “moves quickly on this” and says that Canada could work with the automotive and other issues that were reportedly settled in the agreement between the U.S. and Mexico.
“I think it’s interesting to look at what’s in the deal today with Mexico and ask ourselves as Canadians if we’ve got a problem with any of those things as it relates to the auto sector,” Brad tells BNN Bloomberg.
“I’m not sure there would be an issue with it. So, I hope our federal government moves quickly on this. I think it’s important to be part of the trilateral [agreement].”
Brad also pointed to supply management in the dairy sector as a point of potential flexibility for Canada to get a deal done.
“If we know Canadians are paying more for cheese and milk and other supply managed goods than they otherwise would be, and we have a chance for that sector to be supported in transition so it can be as competitive as any in the world, and it gets us to a good deal for Canada in terms of a new NAFTA or whatever it’s going to be called, I don’t think it should be ruled out,” Brad tells BNN Bloomberg.
For more information, read author Shane McNeil’s article “’Who cares what it’s called?’: Wall urges Canada forward on NAFTA,” in BNN Bloomberg.