KITCHENER — Federal NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair said his party would vote to ratify a new free-trade deal with South Korea so long as they can prove they enforce basic labour and environmental rights.

"I don't mind being beaten out by a competitor on the manufacture of steel if they have labour rights, environmental rights and we're on an even playing field," Mulcair said in the living room of a music teacher in central Kitchener Tuesday morning.

This comes as federal Conservatives were in Breslau selling the merits of a newly signed free-trade deal with South Korea to the agricultural industry. Mulcair said he won't be painted as anti-trade, but won't unreservedly support the deal until he gets to see the fine print.

Canada imported nearly 60 times more cars from South Korea than it exported there in 2013, and partially Korean-made Samsung smartphones now occupy close to a third of Canada's smartphone market share.

Public Works and Government Services Minister Diane Finley said in an interview there are numerous opportunities for Canadian firms if a free-trade deal with South Korea is ratified.

"Our traditional reliance on the United States (for exports) leaves us very vulnerable."

Mulcair said he's worried the South Korean government will balk at letting Canada have unfettered access to its domestic auto market.

"With regard to Korea, we're very concerned that from the early indications there is no snapback provision in case there is cheating on the Korean side," Mulcair said.

Finley said she could not yet disclose terms of the deal, but said the Conservatives have "negotiated strong and effective mechanisms" in the new deal that could prevent cheating.

She said Canada needs the deal because the United States has already signed a free-trade deal with South Korea, and Korean goods imported into the U.S. can now be sold into Canada duty-free because of the North American Free Trade Agreement.

"The year after the U.S. signed their free-trade agreement with South Korea, we saw our exports to South Korea drop by almost a third — $1.5 billion," Finley said. "We have to make sure that Canadian producers, manufacturers and suppliers of services have a level playing field."

In Breslau, Finley told agricultural industry representatives Canada will be able to boost exports of beef, pork, wine, auto parts and processed food to South Korea if a trade deal is ratified by Parliament.

A date for ratification of the trade deal is not yet known.

cherhalt@therecord.com