Mr. Chair, I have a question for my colleague.
Let me start by coming back to my speech. Canada and the United States have many things in common in terms of their history, language, and identity. These commonalities grew into a wonderful friendship that has not faded with time. Both countries offer a better life to the middle class on both sides of the border. The best way to maintain a strong and prosperous middle class is to further strengthen the already close economic and social ties between Canada and the United States.
I would now like to briefly list a few facts. First, Canada is the United States' largest and most reliable customer. We buy more from the United States than China, Japan, and the United Kingdom combined. Canada is the biggest export market for 35 states and is among the top three in 13 other states. That has a huge impact. In fact, the jobs of nine million Americans depend on trade with Canada. Similarly, two and a half million good Canadian jobs rely on trade with the United States.
Can my colleague explain to the committee how NAFTA modernization will contribute to enhancing the relationship between Canada and its closest neighbours?