International Trade committee  What I'm concerned with right now is that we have politics going on in the United States and the reality is that I can't change what the dynamic is going to be on that side. What I do know is when we have a bad deal in front of us. What I also know, from a 2016 report by Jim Stanford, is that Canada's average annual trade performance is better with nations when there is no free trade agreement in place.

International Trade committee  Let's talk about Chrysler corporation first, obviously. We have a very good relationship. We went into bargaining in 2012 recognizing that we had to play a significant role with regard to the investment into our Windsor assembly plant facility. We've entwined and accepted a culture of world-class manufacturing that we didn't understand before.

International Trade committee  I would disagree with that only because in 2008-09, there was a recession. Some people might not want to consider that, but some people even considered it a depression to an extent. The reality is that the elastic band was stretching. In the States, they call these “NINJA” loans.

International Trade committee  Right, but what's going to happen with Malaysia, for example, is that they're going to go to countries that are even cheaper to get that part garnered, to be able to ship it back to us at even a lower cost. We're reducing our bottom dollar as much as you want to—

International Trade committee  When you say it's those people who are outside of the TPP that can't participate, I don't agree, because when they're lowering their content, with Malaysia, and I'll give you an—

International Trade committee  I don't know of any of those stipulations, but as Tracey suggested, there's a total of six pages that deal with that trade. We must have missed it when we read it. I don't agree with that statement whatsoever, but I will tell you that there are countries that can compete, and those are the countries where their governments support the initiative.

International Trade committee  First off, I don't believe that we can't change it. I've heard Minister Freeland say that it can't be changed, but the reality is that, according to a column in The Huffington Post, changes might still be possible. At the same time, the EU and the United States have heard from their constituents in their countries, who have suggested that they didn't like the provisions and what was offered in CETA, and the officials were told that the changes would go back to a legal scrub through which they would make changes to their trade agreement.

International Trade committee  Let's look at Mexico as an example, because Mexico continues to do too much. They're growing amazingly right now. They had a $1 billion increase just last year. That's 12% to a staggering $11.5 billion. That's $10 imported here to every one dollar that we export out. I think one of the major challenges we have is that if we did absolutely nothing, it would be better than where we are currently.

International Trade committee  Right now in NAFTA, our regulations are better than what we see under the TPP. Again, I think I mentioned that earlier with reference to Vietnam and Malaysia. They're at 13 years before their tariffs for their independent parts will be eroded. It really begs the question of why we are at five years.

International Trade committee  Yes, I believe there's a direct threat to independent parts suppliers, and there's some concern with that. Again, we talked already about the percentages from 62% moving down to 30%, with the 10% flexibility. However, I think the bigger concern is not only the 20,000 that we think are vulnerable—the one-fifth—but also that once you start taking those independent part suppliers and moving them to other places, like the southern states and Mexico, then an OEM will want just-in-time parts.

International Trade committee  Yes, as I suggested earlier in my report, we have a number that's about ten-to-one on spinoff jobs, which includes steel, which includes plastic. In essence, absolutely every job will be affected in the community of Windsor and Essex County. We just hired 1,200 new employees at the Windsor assembly plant to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' credit.

International Trade committee  I think we have a number of challenges. When you talk about the reduction of the parts content going from 62%, and potentially to 45%, we have some bigger detrimental effects, because obviously you're going to have more vehicles coming from countries like China, with a content of about 55% now.

International Trade committee  I think we're trading pennies for dollars.

International Trade committee  Not with a $39 billion deficit.

International Trade committee  I appreciate your bringing up that question because, just as of late as yesterday, we had a policy and solutions forum where the Chamber of Commerce, labour, and academics from the University of Windsor and St. Clair College came together to talk about that exact item. The reality is, there are a lot of things we can do.