NDP REALITY CHECK: When it comes to international trade, Harper’s plan isn’t working

Today we’re hearing a lot of spin about Stephen Harper’s secret TPP trade deal – but the facts don’t lie: Harper’s trade agenda isn’t working.

In March 2015, Canada marked a sad milestone, Canada recorded our biggest trade deficit in history – $3 billion in March and a $7 billion trade deficit for first quarter on 2015.

Here’s how non-oil exports have fared under the Conservatives:

• Canada’s global market share of auto exports fell by 37.3% between 2005 and 2013.
• Canada’s global market share of aerospace exports fell by 26.6% between 2005 and 2013
• Canada’s global market share of wood product exports fell by 38.7% between 2005 and 2013
• Canada’s status among top global exporters of clean technology dramatically fell – from 14th to 19th – according to a ranking of global exporters between 2005 and 2013. A 41% decline under Stephen Harper.

And here’s why Harper’s approach to trade has failed:

• Bank of Canada has sounded the alarm saying Canada is losing ground on world trade.
• Globe and Mail, April 29, 2015
• Canadian businesses are saying Harper’s trade agreements aren’t enough.
• Canadian Chamber of Commerce May 12, 2014
• The Harper years have been a lost decade for Canadian exporters_._
• CIBC In Focus, April 16, 2013

Since Stephen Harper took power Canada has lost 400,000 manufacturing jobs.

The NDP won’t sit back and let another 20,000 good auto manufacturing jobs just disappear.

Justin Trudeau may have decided to stand with Harper’s secretive TPP deal – but Canadians can trust Tom Mulcair and the NDP to fight for our jobs and our communities.