That's a very good question, and I thank you for that.
I did meet with a number of people in the sector. We consult regularly, as you would expect. It's about the auto workers, and it's a very significant industry. The good thing you will know is that Minister Freeland and I belong to the same department, so we're joined at the hip. Our deputy ministers serve both ministers, so whatever we do on one track is very well coordinated with the track on NAFTA. Those are separate tracks, but I appreciate the views you express.
What I would say is that what we've achieved in the context of the TPP negotiations is this side letter, which I think gives Canadian auto manufacturers the greatest market access ever in Japan. The good thing with that is also that it's subject to an evergreen clause, so whatever Japan would grant to any other country, Canada would benefit from. This is to address non-tariff trade barriers. It's not about tariffs; it's about making sure that the non-tariff trade barriers would be addressed with respect to safety standards in particular.
We have negotiated a pretty lengthy letter. It's more than 10 to 15 pages, if I recollect, in terms of trying to achieve the outcome. That was one of the outcomes, not the only one, but one of the outcomes that the auto sector had wanted from us. As a result, that would give the greatest market access we have ever achieved with respect to the auto sector in this important part of the world.
We also have one side letter, as you know, with Malaysia and Australia to make sure that we can get access to these two markets, despite the fact that they might not meet the rules-of-origin content required. We're going to continue. I think for us, to be honest, to be part of that first group of countries.... Why I was saying that ratification is essential is that, as you know, other countries have expressed the will to join, and having Canada in that first group of countries, making sure that the terms of trade in that part of the world take into account Canada's interests, is key. We're going to be continuing to work to perfect that and to work with the auto sector.