Like their Tory predecessors, Liberals urged to shed light on Pacific Rim deal
OTTAWA — A little over two years ago, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau criticized the then-Conservative government for keeping Canadians in the dark on the talks and impacts surrounding the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal.
Today, as prime minister, Trudeau is facing complaints for withholding details on Canada’s commitment this week to an updated version of the huge Pacific Rim pact.
Trudeau has praised the deal, struck Tuesday, as something that will open new markets for Canadian business across the rapidly expanding Asia-Pacific region. The Liberals insist they’ve vastly improved the terms compared to agreement the Tories negotiated, which fizzled when the United States pulled out a year ago.
But like the Harper Conservatives in 2015, Trudeau’s Liberals are under pressure to release more information about the potential economic consequences of the agreement here at home.