Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to address a question that I had for the Prime Minister months ago about the new NAFTA and whether we would see a debate inside the House to have transparency and be open about what Canadians were signing onto through the Liberals in the renegotiation of the new NAFTA. What we know now is that great uncertainty surrounds the ratification.
The New Democrats were pleased to see Democrats in the U.S. have success in the new Congress. I have visited Washington and there is a significant change in tone and conversations taking place around the new NAFTA. It is quite clear at this time that Democrats in the U.S. are looking to reopen the deal to renegotiate some of the portions around the environment, labour, the high cost of pharmaceuticals and the drug patent extension in the new deal.
It will come as no surprise that the New Democrats will welcome the work of Democrats in the United States in an effort to improve the deal and see some progressive elements come to fruition in it. Unfortunately, what we have signed onto in the new USMCA is a concessionary deal. Therefore, we are hopeful that those efforts will be successful and that the Liberal government in Canada will be open to improving labour standards, environmental standards and, of course, to seeing the cost of drugs being reduced for Canadians and for all people across all three countries who will be impacted by this deal.
The future right now of the deal is quite uncertain, but there is a positive path forward that will see improvements made to this deal. I am hopeful the Liberal government will have wide open arms to them on behalf of Canadians. It is an opportunity not just for us to improve the deal on those three areas I mentioned, but also to address the still lingering and very harmful steel and aluminum tariffs. We now know that somehow Russia has been able to have aluminum tariffs removed, yet Canada has not. Therefore, we need to take every opportunity at this time to improve our trading relationship with the United States. Again, I hope we will welcome these additions and look for improvements in the lives of Canadians.
At the heart of the new NAFTA are millions of people who work every day for a decent life for their families and communities. Twenty-three years ago when NAFTA was being originally negotiated by Mulroney Conservatives, they tried desperately to sell Canadian workers on the idea that it was more than just a trade deal. They tried to make the case that the trilateral deal would bring prosperity to everyone across the continent. They claimed it was going to be an equalizer for all.
Working people studied NAFTA carefully and began to raise the alarm bells that it would not work. Labour and civil society brought their concerns to the streets over the weak side agreements that they rightly claimed would do nothing to change the inequalities. We have seen this play out across our country as well.
The Conservatives pressed on in the original NAFTA and now, in 2019, we can see the impact this idea, which was promoted by them, has had on working-class people. Successive governments have neglected to address the alarming reality that the NAFTA promise of 1988 has not led to an increased standard of living for all. The only benefit has been for those who already hold the power and the influence.
Income and wealth inequality in Canada today is at a crisis level. As my colleague from New Westminster—Burnaby rightly pointed out today, 46% of Canadians are $200 away from financial trouble. Working people, like those in Oshawa who are fighting for their jobs, will be impacted by the new NAFTA. Despite the fact that Liberals are saying everything has been solved in the new trade agreement, that again is not reaching working people.
Today I rise with my question for the Liberals. If trade deals like the new NAFTA are so good for working people, why are the auto workers in Oshawa out fighting for their lives right now, and I would note with no Liberal representation in sight? All of those workers have noted that as well. If these deals are so good for working people, then why, after signing this deal, does the harm continue to impact working people who are losing their jobs while Mexico is growing?