Letter to the Prime Minister regarding CUSMA ratification

Dear Prime Minister:

We are writing on behalf of our members, which collectively employ millions of Canadians in every industrial sector and region of the country. Together they are responsible for the vast majority of Canada’s exports to, and commercial ties with, the United States and Mexico.

We applaud your government’s success in negotiating a comprehensive and high-standard agreement on North American trade. The Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) maintains our country’s preferential access to the United States and Mexico – Canada’s largest and third-largest trading partners respectively – while modernizing long-outdated elements of the North American Free Trade Agreement.

We stand ready to work with you as you implement this important agreement to lift the cloud of uncertainty that has hung over the North American trade and investment relationship since 2017. When implemented, CUSMA will generate significant new benefits for the Canadian economy, spurring new investments while encouraging the creation of new high-value jobs.

Even before the agreement is fully ratified, there are opportunities for Canada, the United States and Mexico to collaborate in pursuit of a more productive and mutually beneficial trilateral relationship. For example, we would encourage all three governments to work together to enhance North American competitiveness and good regulatory practices as outlined in the agreement by establishing committees in each area to promote economic growth and strengthen regulatory cooperation.

Prime Minister, you can count on our full support throughout the ratification process.

Sincerely,

• Goldy Hyder, President and CEO, Business Council of Canada
• Brian Innes, President, Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance (CAFTA)
• Honourable Perrin Beatty, P.C., O.C., President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Chamber of Commerce
• Dan Kelly, President & CEO, Canadian Federation of Independent Business
• Dennis A. Darby, P.Eng., ICD.D, President & CEO, Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters