Canada signs Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, creating largest trading bloc in the world.

Trade ministers from Canada, the U.S., Mexico, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Peru, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam. signed the T-P-P agreement earlier Monday.

In making the announcement, Prime Minister Stephen Harper says, ”This is a once-in-a-lifetime agreement, a once-in-a-lifetime moment of decision.  You are either in or out and we choose to be in because there is simply too much to gain for Canada.

There are concerns over what this may mean for dairy farmers and the auto industry.

Harper promises to invest $4.3-billion over 15 years to protect dairy and poultry farmers.

He says in the coming days, he’ll announce new  measures to attract auto investment and to ”ensure the long-term stability and presence of assembly operations here in Canada.”

Unifor is the largest private sector union that, among others, protects auto workers.

Unifor economist Jim Stanford tells Zoomer Radio’s ”Goldhawk Fights Back” the deal would eliminate about one in five auto jobs.

”We think that would mean the loss of about 20,000 auto jobs across Ontario.”

The agreement could have an impact on the federal election.

NDP’s Tom Mulcair says his party would not be bound by the contents of the ”secret agreement.”

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau also accuses the Conservatives for being too secretive about negotiations and would want time to read the fine print.

The deal still needs to be ratified by parliaments in all 12 countries which could take years.