OTTAWA -- After a brief sitting before the holidays, the 43rd parliament is set to get underway in earnest on Monday and the Liberal government says it鈥檒l be prioritizing passing the new NAFTA implementation bill, as Canada is the last of the three nations to ratify the updated trade pact.
The Liberal cabinet is convened in Winnipeg for a pre-sitting strategy session and one of the discussions that happened behind closed doors was about the government鈥檚 legislative priorities.
Topping that list is set to be introducing the new NAFTA implementation bill and moving through the various stages 鈥渁s quickly as possible,鈥� according to Government House Leader Pablo Rodriguez.
鈥淲e had a discussion this morning on the priorities of the government and the priority is of course is the ratification of CUSMA. It鈥檚 been ratified by Mexico, it鈥檚 been ratified by the United States, so this is an absolute priority not only for the government but for our workers, for our industries, for people from all provinces,鈥� Rodriguez said.
鈥淚 call upon the opposition to support us and make sure that we ratify this.鈥�
After all three nations signed on to an updated text of the renegotiated NAFTA in mid-December鈥攚hich Canadian officials refer to as CUSMA, or USMCA in the U.S.鈥�Mexico ratified the latest version days later and the U.S. approved the new version last week.
Canada has consistently stated its intention to move in lockstep with the U.S. administration when it came to ratification, but with the legislation yet to be tabled in the now minority House of Commons, it could be a little while before the bill passes the Senate.
鈥淚t鈥檚 Canada鈥檚 turn,鈥� said Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, who despite no longer being foreign affairs minister has retained the responsibility for the Canada-U.S. file in part to see the trilateral trade deal through to its conclusion.
鈥淎 top priority for our government will be the debate and the ratification of the new NAFTA. I think that is very important for certainty in the Canadian economy, very important for millions of Canadian workers, of Canadian businesses, of Canadian families and we really look forward to having that conversation and getting the job done.鈥�
In order for the deal to come into effect all three countries need to ratify it.
Other bills set to be on the Liberals鈥� legislative agenda were also discussed at the cabinet retreat, including amending the medically assisted dying legislation, which Justice Minister David Lametti said he is aiming to table in February, and advancing the promised gun control reforms, which Public Safety Minister Bill Blair has not given a timeline for.
