Mr. Speaker, I know how well regarded my colleague from Kitchener—Conestoga is by the small businesses and farming families in his communities. He is always listening.
I agree with the member. Just last week I heard concerns from Robert Larmer, from my riding, that in the final days leading up to the signing ceremony for the new NAFTA, the USMCA, the U.S. was still making unilateral changes to the agreement.
Let us recall that the Prime Minister threatened he would not show up for the photo op for NAFTA unless tariffs were removed. The last time I checked, tariffs are still in place. Removing himself from a photo op is the nuclear option for the current Prime Minister, because photo ops are his key priority.
What he does not see as a priority are farming families. When the Conservatives were in government and made changes to supply management with CETA and with the negotiation of the TPP, we worked in unison with these families to provide certainty on timelines and market access. Right now, we see agriculture uncertain about access, and in fact giving up access for nothing in return.
As I said, the Canada-U.S. relationship under the current Prime Minister, since Obama and through to Trump, with respect to security, the border, trade and everything, has been a one-way relationship. We have given but received nothing in return, because we are not seen as serious.
We say our priorities for NAFTA are non-binding issues. The minister did not even mention the auto industry in her priority speech at the University of Ottawa.
We would not have free trade in North America without the Auto Pact of 1965. We did not even mention it. It is no wonder that with tariffs, trade, payroll taxes and carbon taxes, GM and other manufacturers are leaving. The one solution is called election 2019.