Canada’s Minister of Trade, Dominic LeBlanc, and his U.S. counterpart are working towards presenting a potential trade deal to U.S. President Donald Trump as early as next Monday, revealed by CBC News sources. The aim is to provide Trump with a proposal before the upcoming tariff deadline, allowing him time to make a final decision before new tariffs affecting Canadian imports take effect on August 19.
LeBlanc recently met with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Washington for the third time in three weeks. Following their meeting, neither LeBlanc nor Canada’s chief trade negotiator, Janice Charette, responded to reporters’ inquiries. LeBlanc later acknowledged ongoing discussions and affirmed their commitment to further engagement at the negotiation table.
In addition to discouraging new tariffs, LeBlanc and Charette are seeking relief from sectoral tariffs imposed by the U.S. on Canadian steel, aluminum, lumber, and automobiles. Canada is also hopeful that the ongoing trade discussions with the U.S. will lead to an extension of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) after the Trump administration opted not to renew the deal in July.
The U.S. administration cited several trade concerns when announcing the August 19 tariffs, including Canada’s response to U.S. trade policies by removing U.S. alcohol from provincial store shelves and alleged discrimination against U.S. motor vehicles and dairy products. The new tariffs cover approximately five percent of Canadian exports to the U.S., targeting various goods such as alcohol, hockey equipment, and cement.
Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner emphasized the importance of Canada negotiating from a position of strength with the White House. She criticized Prime Minister Mark Carney for not securing a trade agreement with the Trump administration despite being in office for over a year. Rempel Garner called for accountability from Carney, urging him to fulfill his promises to Canadians. These comments follow a letter from Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre to Carney, urging him to demonstrate resolve in trade negotiations and secure favorable terms for Canada, including zero tariffs on softwood lumber, an end to sectoral tariffs on steel and aluminum, a tariff-free auto agreement, and exemptions from Buy America regulations on infrastructure projects.
The efforts of the trade representatives aim to address these trade challenges and present a viable solution to President Trump ahead of the tariff deadline.