By: Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Essex Free Press
Last Tuesday through Friday, Essex MP Chris Lewis was the Conservative member of the Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group, which headed to Mexico to talk about the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) as its July 1 review date nears.
During this muti-day session, 15 large meetings took place with reps from Canada, Mexico, and the US.
Lewis said it was a chance to build relationships and open the door to conversation.
The Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group went to the session to talk about all things CUSMA, from agriculture, auto, and cross-border trade.
Lewis was selected for the committee being near the Windsor-Detroit Border, which is the busiest international border crossing in North America, as current Co-Chairperson of the Conservative Auto Caucus, and former member of the International Trade Committee that studied CUSMA back in 2020.
“We met with 42 Senators,” Lewis said, noting it was a “very public event” as it was livestreamed across Mexico.
There was “very good dialogue on how Canada and Mexico can work together, not carving out the United States.”
What was a real eye-opener for the local MP was how much Essex-Windsor has in common with Mexico in terms of the automotive sector. Every time he flies out to Ottawa, there are a few planes containing parts from Mexico to support Windsor’s tier two and three tier, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs).
“It was really, really unique,” Lewis said of the meeting in Mexico. “I can’t say how many times the Mexican officials thanked us for allowing their ag-based Temporary Foreign Workers (TFWs) into Canada to work.
He noted the lion’s share of the greenhouse produce grown locally goes to the US.
“This trilateral agreement we have isn’t going to end overnight, or the United States isn’t going to have the produce,” Lewis said.
“What I realized is how much Canada and Mexico have in common, but potentially both governments haven’t done a good job of building the relationship, building the trust,” Lewis commented. He believes what needs to be done is pointing out what works for Mexico and Canada, and asking the US what works for it, and then come up with a plan.
He gave a shout out to Canada’s Mexico Ambassador Cameron MacKay.
“He is an absolute gentleman. He isa statesman beyond belief. He’s doing great things for Canada. He gave us a lot of advice, a lot of foresight.”
He heard it many times over the trip that CUSMA works, but it could use a few tweaks. “But there is so much more we can be doing, the three of us…There is so much more we can be putting on the table for our own trade that we’ve walked past.”
He truly felt the Canadian and Mexican delegations really came to a consensus that both countries need to work a lot closer.
He gave kudos to Prime Minister Mark Carney for going to Mexico previously.
It was, however, unfortunate, the day after the delegation was finished the Prime Minister made comments – on Chinese soil – regarding a new world order, Lewis noted. He pointed out that during the election the PM said China is Canada’s biggest security threat.
“I don’t know what world Mark Carney is living in. It is not the world I am living in. I don’t believe it is the world the majority of people of Essex are living in,” Lewis said. “I would go so far as to say if he wants to make comments like ‘new world order’ on Chinese soil that he should bring it back to the people and call and election immediately and see if 44M Canadians actually think we are in a new world order.”
Hearing that comment after that meeting in Mexico, “It was almost like the balloon was deflated a little bit, because, how now – after I just spent four-days working incredibly hard for auto jobs…[and] trying to build trust, and the Prime Minister said he is going to allow up to 49,000 electric vehicles [from China] into Canada at a 6.1% tariff rate, not a 100% tariff rate.”
In return, Lewis said China may drop tariffs on Canadian canola oil and seed, and pork. If that happens, it would be good for 2026.
The Government of Canada website noted that by March 1, Canada expects that China will lower tariffs on Canadian canola seed to a combined rate of approximately 15%. The current combined tariff level is 84%.”
Once again, the [Canadian] government is flying around the world and coming home with nothing,” Lewis said. [Mark Carney] is coming home with nothing; there is nothing solid, nothing secure.”
In speaking to the deal Carney made in China, Lewis said Canada already has a devastated auto industry, between Windsor and Oshawa, specifically. He also spoke of recent news of Stellantis investing $13B into the US.
“We already know it is devastated. This just further hemorrhages the bleeding,” Lewis said. “That’s 49,000 new vehicles that could be produced in Windsor, that could be produced in Oshawa, that otherwise now won’t be.”
Looking into the future, Lewis said the number of Chinese EVs coming into Canada could increase as part of other negotiations.
A statement from Lewis’s office added trade issues continue to hit the region. Despite a $1B federal loan to Beijing for shipbuilding, its tariffs on Canadian canola, peas, pork, and seafood remain, while U.S. tariffs on autos continue to punish Canadian exports.
“Canada needs a government that prioritizes Canadian workers over foreign EV imports, ensures ethical trade, and keeps Essex-Windsor competitive in the global auto sector,” the statement added.
Half the delegation he worked with in Mexico will now head to Washington, DC to continue on talks about CUSMA.
“It was truly an honour to go down there to be part of at least the initial discussions of what [CUSMA] is going to look like,” Lewis said. He was thankful that the Conservative Party decided to send someone from the Windsor-Essex area to be part of the delegation.
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