Good morning, Minister.
I'm pleased to see today that Canadians finally have some understanding of the priorities of the Canadian government. I thank you for sharing some of those with us and I look forward to the further priorities you will reveal to Canadians as we move through this process. I welcome the negotiators to the table as well. It's nice to see all of you.
Like my colleague, I represent a border riding. Down in Essex in southwestern Ontario, you certainly don't have to look far to find people who understand NAFTA, including those who have felt the negative impacts of NAFTA in the manufacturing sector, and also businesses that have benefited from the flow of traffic across what I believe is the largest border crossing in Canada, the Ambassador Bridge, and soon to be Gordie Howe bridge.
My question for you is this. You mentioned supply management and the United States has of course released its long list of negotiating priorities, and from that list we know that the Trump administration will be taking aim at our supply-managed system.
Your Liberal government has eroded supply management under CETA and was attempting to do so in the TPP. I want you to be clear today: will you commit that you will not accept any further erosion of supply management through an expansion of tariff-free access for U.S. dairy, poultry, or eggs, or any other mechanism?