Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc will travel to the United States this weekend, days after Washington threatened to impose additional 50 percent tariffs on Canada next month.
LeBlanc will be joined by Canada’s chief trade negotiator Janice Charette, according to his spokesperson Gabriel Brunet. She did not say who the two will be meeting with.
LeBlanc travelled to Washington in March to discuss the ongoing Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) negotiations. He said on March 6 that Canada and the United States had a “constructive and substantive discussion” pertaining to CUSMA and would continue speaking in the coming days, but did not offer further details.
LeBlanc also travelled to Washington in June to meet with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, and said Canada was seeking a 16-year extension of CUSMA. LeBlanc and Greer met again on the sidelines of the G7 in France later in the month.
U.S. President Donald Trump signed proclamations on July 21 for a new round of tariffs on Canada, which would apply to goods representing about five percent of Canada’s exports to the United States. The new tariffs would hit Canadian alcohol, dairy products, cement, and other products including hockey sticks, and come into force on Aug. 19.
LeBlanc will be joined by Canada’s chief trade negotiator Janice Charette, according to his spokesperson Gabriel Brunet. She did not say who the two will be meeting with.
LeBlanc travelled to Washington in March to discuss the ongoing Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) negotiations. He said on March 6 that Canada and the United States had a “constructive and substantive discussion” pertaining to CUSMA and would continue speaking in the coming days, but did not offer further details.
LeBlanc also travelled to Washington in June to meet with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, and said Canada was seeking a 16-year extension of CUSMA. LeBlanc and Greer met again on the sidelines of the G7 in France later in the month.
U.S. President Donald Trump signed proclamations on July 21 for a new round of tariffs on Canada, which would apply to goods representing about five percent of Canada’s exports to the United States. The new tariffs would hit Canadian alcohol, dairy products, cement, and other products including hockey sticks, and come into force on Aug. 19.
The United States said the new tariffs were in response to Canada’s supply management system for dairy products, provincial bans on U.S. alcohol, and counter-tariffs on automotive parts.
Trump has imposed several rounds of tariffs on Canada, such as sectoral tariffs on steel, aluminum, and copper, vehicles and auto parts, and upholstered furniture, kitchen cabinets and vanities.
The announcement on the new 50 percent tariffs also came days after Trump suggested that the cost of Canadian wildfire smoke in the United States should “be added to the tariffs Canada is currently paying.” Trump said on July 21 that the latest tariffs were not being imposed in response to the Canadian wildfires, but reiterated on July 24 that Ottawa should be tariffed for wildfire smoke.
Washington also imposed a separate new tariff of 10 percent on Canada on July 24 as part of broader measures meant to address forced labour worldwide. The United States imposed tariffs on 60 countries that it said do not effectively prohibit or enforce bans on goods made with forced labour.
Weeks before the July 1 deadline to review CUSMA, Canada and Mexico had called for the trade agreement to be renewed for 16 years, while the United States said it did not want to renew the agreement “in its current form.” As the deadline passed without a formal renewal, CUSMA remains in force with annual reviews by the three countries until 2036, unless it is extended or one party withdraws.
Trump said during a July 28 interview on Fox News that he did not “care” about updating CUSMA, and doesn’t “really want to.” Trump said he would “rather be independent.”
Trump has imposed several rounds of tariffs on Canada, such as sectoral tariffs on steel, aluminum, and copper, vehicles and auto parts, and upholstered furniture, kitchen cabinets and vanities.
The announcement on the new 50 percent tariffs also came days after Trump suggested that the cost of Canadian wildfire smoke in the United States should “be added to the tariffs Canada is currently paying.” Trump said on July 21 that the latest tariffs were not being imposed in response to the Canadian wildfires, but reiterated on July 24 that Ottawa should be tariffed for wildfire smoke.
Washington also imposed a separate new tariff of 10 percent on Canada on July 24 as part of broader measures meant to address forced labour worldwide. The United States imposed tariffs on 60 countries that it said do not effectively prohibit or enforce bans on goods made with forced labour.
Weeks before the July 1 deadline to review CUSMA, Canada and Mexico had called for the trade agreement to be renewed for 16 years, while the United States said it did not want to renew the agreement “in its current form.” As the deadline passed without a formal renewal, CUSMA remains in force with annual reviews by the three countries until 2036, unless it is extended or one party withdraws.
Trump said during a July 28 interview on Fox News that he did not “care” about updating CUSMA, and doesn’t “really want to.” Trump said he would “rather be independent.”
“Mexico and Canada need us, we don’t need them. The deal is important for them, it’s not important for us,” he said.
United States Trade Representative Greer recently said he hoped to present Trump with options by the end of the year for “interim arrangements” with Canada and Mexico relating to CUSMA. Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters on July 23 that this was a “sensible approach” and the agreements would be “consistent with the structure” of CUSMA.
The Canadian Press contributed to this report.
United States Trade Representative Greer recently said he hoped to present Trump with options by the end of the year for “interim arrangements” with Canada and Mexico relating to CUSMA. Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters on July 23 that this was a “sensible approach” and the agreements would be “consistent with the structure” of CUSMA.
The Canadian Press contributed to this report.
