The Canada-U.S. trade talks are coming down to the wire, with officials racing to finalize an agreement before a midnight deadline that could trigger steep new U.S. tariffs on nearly $30 billion worth of Canadian goods.
Canadian Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc and chief negotiator Janice Charette are scheduled to meet U.S. officials at the U.S. Trade Representative’s office in Washington at 11:30 a.m. ET.
Sources familiar with the negotiations say a potential agreement would cut U.S. tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum from 50 per cent to 25 per cent and include changes to Canada’s system for allocating dairy import licences.
Prime Minister Mark Carney has also asked provinces to put American alcohol back on store shelves as part of efforts to ease trade tensions. Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Tony Wakeham said premiers agreed to the request, although Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette said Quebec would act only if the overall agreement is positive. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew, meanwhile, continues to encourage consumers to buy Canadian products.
