Wayne Stetski says there’s some losses for rural areas with the new USMCA agreement that’s replacing NAFTA. The Kootenay-Columbia MP highlights that there there will be more competition for wine growers.
“We do have a few wineries in the Creston area and of course lots in the rest British Columbia and beyond and they have opened up shelf space as part of this agreement for more American wines to come into Canada.”
He says dairy, chicken and egg farmers will also be in the same boat to certain extents.
“This agreement added 3.6 per cent access to Americans into dairy in Canada. It also allows additional access around chicken and eggs, so really in terms of agriculture perspective in my riding it’s a net loss.”
Stetski says this is the third agreement in a row that increases the amount of dairy imports into the country.
He says there was also nothing in the agreement about removing soft wood lumber tariffs, however, there weren’t any major losses for the automotive industry.