“NAFTA is logically the first thing for us to deal with,” Ross said. “We ought to solidify relationships in the best way we\u00a0can in our own territory before we go off to other jurisdictions,” Ross said, referring to China, a frequent target of Trump’s ire for allegedly unfair trade practices.<\/p>\n
Ross said U.S. trading partners who play by the rules should have nothing to fear from a Trump administration, as on the whole, the U.S. is in favour of more global trade \u2014 not less.<\/p>\n
“I think\u00a0we should grant access to our markets to anyone who plays fair, plays by the rules and\u00a0gives everybody a fair\u00a0chance to compete,” he said.<\/p>\n
“[But]\u00a0those who do not should be punished for it and punished severely.”<\/p>\n
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- Import tariffs would kill 30,000 auto worker jobs, think-tank says<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
“I\u00a0am not anti-trade, I\u00a0am pro trade,” Ross said. “But I’m pro sensible trade \u2014 not trade that is to the disadvantage of the American worker and to the American manufacturing community.”<\/p>\n
Views on TPP<\/h2>\n
Ross’s comments on NAFTA were interrupted by protesters who were shouting their opposition to the Trans Pacific Partnership \u2014 a trade pact initiated under the current administration,\u00a0but one that president-elect Trump says he will pull America out of<\/a>\u00a0after taking office.<\/p>\n
“That was not part of my prepared remarks,” Ross quipped of the protesters who interrupted his comments, but later went on to say he has come to be in the camp that opposes the broad-ranging trade deal.<\/p>\n
“Initially I was very favourable to TPP,” he said, “but as I\u00a0delved into the thousands of pages of documents I\u00a0came across, I found some things that were not consistent with what had been advertised.”<\/p>\n
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- Trump gives himself starring role as job creator, but critics doubt it<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
He specifically cited the deal as being bad for the U.S. auto sector, as in his view,\u00a0loopholes in it allow manufacturers to have up to 60 per cent of a car’s components can come from outside the zone,\u00a0but still be able to be sold within the zone, without tariffs.<\/p>\n
“That didn’t strike me as the world’s best idea,” he said.<\/p>\n
Impact on automotive sector<\/h2>\n
Mathew Wilson with the Canadian Manufacturers Exporters, says the automotive sector is one in which import tariffs are especially problematic because of global supply chains.<\/p>\n
“It’s not quite as easy as saying,\u00a0‘OK we’re going to stop trading with the U.S.,’ or whatever,” he told CBC News in an interview. “A\u00a0lot of times the companies don’t even know where the products are coming from.”<\/p>\n
![\"Industrial](\"http:\/\/usa.timesofnews.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/RSSPoster_PRO\/cache\/e4f41_industrial-production.jpg\")
<\/p>\nA car manufactured in Michigan, such as this Ford Mustang, likely contains parts from Canada, Mexico and elsewhere, which makes an import tax on it hard to enforce. (Carlos Osorio\/Associated Press)<\/p>\n
A car manufactured in Ontario is\u00a0likely to have a transmission made in Michigan and interior components from Mexico, for example, he said.<\/p>\n
“All of those goods are being sourced and being created with a mishmash of Canada and U.S. and sometimes Mexican parts in there as well,” he said. That makes the prospect of a 35 per cent tax \u2014 something the president-elect has threatened to impose on some imports<\/a> \u2014 virtually impossible to enforce, said Wilson.<\/p>\n
On the subject of tariffs, Ross said they “play a role both as a negotiating tool and as a way to punish offenders who don’t play by the rules, but I’m much more in favour of carrots than of sticks.”<\/p>\n
Trudeau vows to ‘defend’ trade benefits<\/h2>\n
Speaking in Sherbrooke, Que.,\u00a0on Wednesday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was asked about trade issues with the incoming U.S. administration.<\/p>\n
“We’ve been engaged with the incoming administration over the past few weeks on a broad range of issues and we’re working hard to move forward in a constructive way that’s going to benefit both of our countries,” Trudeau said.<\/p>\n
- Trump gives himself starring role as job creator, but critics doubt it<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n