Madam Speaker, I want to thank the member for La Prairie for talking about areas of the Canadian economy that might benefit from this trade deal.
However, he did not talk about how CETA will, for the first time, legally allow foreign-owned vessels and foreign crews to transport goods between Canadian ports, which is called cabotage, and will open up domestic dredging contracts to foreign suppliers. This will lead to an estimated loss of 3,000 coastal jobs, high-quality, well-paid jobs, and will indirectly affect 250,000 people. Competitors could come in and undercut Canadians, paying their employees $2 an hour, with low safety standards and poor working conditions.
In coastal B.C., we have lost tons of jobs. We are seeing communities disappear with the decline in the forest sector. Where are our Liberal MPs in demanding an analysis and a proper economic impact study to protect coastal communities and mariners? We need them to stand up right now. If we do not stand up, we might as well get an eraser and start erasing coastal communities.
These jobs are important. Would the member talk about what he is going to do, and what the Liberals are going to do, to fight for coastal British Columbians and these important jobs?