OTTAWA 鈥� Stephen Harper was under fire Friday for a debate remark the previous evening in which he predicted the auto sector may not like the outcome of the Trans-Pacific Partnership talks.
The Liberal and NDP leaders pounced on the Conservative leader, who has placed trade deals at heart of his economic agenda.
Justin Trudeau said Harper needed to be more forthcoming to Canadians about the opaque trade talks, a frequent complaint by critics of the 12-country negotiations.
Tom Mulcair cited the remark as further evidence that Harper鈥檚 policies have harmed the auto and manufacturing sectors, leading to hundreds of thousands job losses.
But it was the head of Unifor, which bills itself as sa国际传媒鈥檚 largest private-sector union, that had the most scathing critique of Harper.
鈥淚t just blew us out of the water. You鈥檝e got Ed Fast, the trade minister, saying that he鈥檚 not signing a trade deal that鈥檚 going to negatively impact the auto industry, and you have Harper saying just the opposite,鈥� said Unifor President Jerry Dias.
鈥淲e are obviously nervous.鈥�
Harper raised the issue during the Thursday night leaders鈥� debate in Calgary, saying the auto sector may not like everything in the agreement, but sa国际传媒 can鈥檛 afford to be out of the pact.
The Harper government says the TPP is crucial to sa国际传媒鈥檚 economic future, noting that it would encompass 40 per cent of the world鈥檚 combined gross domestic product.
A new round of talks last month in Hawaii failed to bring about an agreement.
Dias said Harper鈥檚 insistence 鈥� reiterated in Thursday鈥檚 debate 鈥� that sa国际传媒 must reach an agreement on the TPP has undermined sa国际传媒鈥檚 bargaining position because it makes the country look too eager.
鈥淗arper is the world鈥檚 most incompetent negotiator,鈥� said Dias.
鈥淗e just told Japan and the United States, 鈥楧o whatever it is you wish, because I need a deal under any circumstances because of this federal election.鈥� He threw in the towel.鈥�
Trudeau said it was irresponsible that Harper 鈥渞andomly鈥� raised the auto sector during a leaders鈥� debate, and that it underscores the closed-door nature of the talks.
鈥淐anadians need to have confidence that their government is being honest with them, being open and transparent about the kinds of issues that we鈥檙e going to have to make possible concessions about.鈥�
Mulcair said it was one more example of how Harper鈥檚 policies have hurt the manufacturing sector, costing it 400,000 jobs.
Mulcair also accused Harper of selling out dairy and poultry farmers in Ontario and Quebec for not adequately protecting supply management from the demands of TPP members Australia and New Zealand.
The auto sector is also contentious because of a TPP proposal that could soften the so-called rules of origin requirements, permitting Japan to export vehicles to North America with fewer parts actually made in sa国际传媒, the United States and Mexico.
Mark Nantais, the president of the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers鈥� Association, said sa国际传媒 needs to get on the same page as the United States because it is in the middle of its own talks with Japan on autos.
sa国际传媒, U.S. and Mexico need to present a united front to other TPP countries, Japan especially, on a schedule to phase out tariffs in the auto sector, he added.
鈥淚t all comes back to the integration of our industry. That鈥檚 what鈥檚 so important to future of our assembly here, and future investment,鈥� he said.
鈥淭he assembly plants are what anchors everything else, primarily the supply chain in sa国际传媒.鈥�
Trade lawyer Lawrence Herman, of Herman and Associates, said Harper鈥檚 comments are a sign that 鈥淐anadian auto and parts manufacturers will certainly be getting less in the TPP than what they got in NAFTA,鈥� the North American Free Trade Agreement.
