Canada’s Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc and his American counterpart are working on presenting a potential trade deal proposal to U.S. President Donald Trump by Monday, according to information obtained by CBC News. Sources familiar with the situation revealed that the aim is to deliver the joint proposal to Trump a day ahead of his upcoming tariff deadline. This timeline would allow Trump enough time to make a final decision before imposing new 50 percent tariffs on numerous Canadian imports set to come into effect on August 19.
The sources, who were not authorized to speak publicly and therefore remain unnamed, disclosed that efforts are being made to extend the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement. LeBlanc recently met with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Washington for the third time in as many weeks. Following their meeting, both LeBlanc and Canada’s chief trade negotiator, Janice Charette, refrained from answering reporters’ questions.
Despite encountering severe weather that forced his flight back to Montreal, LeBlanc expressed that discussions are ongoing, and he and Charette will continue negotiations. In addition to aiming to prevent new tariffs, LeBlanc and Charette are seeking relief from sectoral tariffs imposed by the U.S. on Canadian steel, aluminum, lumber, and automobiles. Canada also hopes that ongoing trade discussions will lead to an extension of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement after the Trump administration declined to renew the deal in July.
The U.S. recently announced new tariffs effective August 19, citing several trade issues, including Canada’s response to U.S. trade policies, such as the removal of U.S. alcohol from provincial stores and alleged Canadian discrimination against U.S. motor vehicles and dairy products. These actions have resulted in significant drops in exports, with targeted goods encompassing about five percent of Canadian exports to the U.S., including items like alcohol, hockey sticks, and cement.
Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner emphasized the importance of Canada maintaining a strong bargaining position during negotiations with the White House. She underscored the need for Prime Minister Mark Carney to deliver on trade promises, highlighting the urgency of securing favorable trade agreements with the Trump administration. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre echoed these sentiments, urging Carney to stand firm during trade talks and secure beneficial terms for Canadians, including zero tariffs on softwood lumber, an end to sectoral tariffs on steel and aluminum, a tariff-free auto pact, and exemptions to Buy America rules on infrastructure projects.