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25,000 jobs?
Election 2015
By MP David Wilks
Conservative Party Candidate for Kootenay-Columbia
The Conservative Government has negotiated a Trans Pacific Partnership with 11 nations. The TPP creates a road map that establishes the basis of an international trading network in the Asia-Pacific.
The TPP will open privileged access to 800 million new customers for Canada with nearly $30 trillion economic activity. Considering that 50% of Canada’s national economy comes from trade, the TPP is a gigantic achievement by the Conservative government.
Leading up to the agreement the NDP strongly opposed Canada’s participation in the TPP negotiations. Before getting details of the treaty, Thomas Mulcair threatened to renounce any agreement if the NDP form a government after Oct. 19.
The NDP ignores reality. If we don’t partner in the TPP, American or Australian competitors will have tariff advantage over Canada. It could be game over for Canadian exports. Could the NDP political ploy put East Kootenay jobs and communities in peril?
Production of coal in the Elk Valley creates over 25,000 jobs in mining, transport, equipment and other related sectors. Our local economy, our communities, our jobs depend on coal exports.
In 2013, Japan, a charter member of the TPP, imported $1.5 billion of Canadian coal. Coal generates over $3.2 billion in economic activity in B.C. each year and around $715 million in public revenues for all levels of government services like health care and education.
This election is about the survival of our Kootenay way of life.
The NDP have never formed a national government. Mulcair’s reckless posturing shows us why.
