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Canada Pushes Broad Deal in Talks With Trump Administration
LeBlanc Tells Canadian Committee That Trade Issues Must Link to Tariffs and USMCA Certainty
Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc said the government wants to resolve trade frictions with the Trump administration as part of a comprehensive agreement rather than through “one-off” deals.
LeBlanc said the irritants U.S. officials raise privately are the same ones they’ve outlined publicly. A recent report by U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer’s office flagged Canada’s supply-managed dairy system,regulationsaffecting major U.S. technology firms and other long-standing trade concerns.
“If we’re going to resolve some of these issues that Ambassador Greer referred to, Canada is ready and willing to do that work,” LeBlanc told a parliamentary committee April 16.
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But he said any progress must come as part of a “larger agreement” that would ease pressure on tariff-affected sectors of Canada’s economy and provide greater certainty around the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement review process.
The minister’s comments shine a light on the strategic considerations of the U.S., Canada and Mexico in the trade discussions, which have been partly shaped by the Trump administration’s behavior toward its trading partners.
U.S. officials have pushed Canada for specific concessions and sometimes received them — without giving Canada anything in return. Last June, Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government dropped a digital services tax at the Trump administration’s request. But weeks later, President Donald Trump raised the tariff rate on Canadian goods anyway. Carney then dropped many of Ottawa’s retaliatory tariffs against the U.S. as the two sides were talking. But Trump broke off those discussions the following month.
RELATED: Former Negotiator Says Time Favors Canada in USMCA Talks
LeBlanc pushed back when an opposition lawmaker cited remarks from U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra, whoclaimedin March there had been no “substantive” discussions with Canada since October.
The minister pointed out it was Trump who halted negotiations in October on a potential deal covering Canadian steel, aluminum and energy, after the president reacted angrily to an anti-tariff advertisement from the Ontario government. Discussionspicked upagain in early March when LeBlanc traveled to Washington.
“I would have hoped that by last fall we would have resolved part of the situation,” LeBlanc said. “Now we’re back around the table to do the work. It is moving forward. I can assure you of that.”
LeBlanc said discussions have continued across several channels, highlighting a “productive” 45-minute call with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick last week as well as ongoing meetings involving Mark Wiseman, the Canadian ambassador to the U.S., and Janice Charette, the chief trade negotiator.
Greer has said U.S. talks with Mexico are further advanced, and he’s scheduled totravelto Mexico City on April 20 to continue bilateral discussions linked to the USMCA review. LeBlanc said Canadian officials are also in regular contact with Mexican counterparts. Mexican Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard has planned an upcoming visit.
On dairy policy, LeBlanc reiterated that Canada will not sacrifice its supply-managed system, which is protected bylegislationpassed last year. He also defended Wiseman, who previously authored anopinion piececritical of that system.
“I have borne witness to his exceptional work since he’s been in his position in Washington,” LeBlanc said. “You will also understand that Mr. Wiseman is not the one who decides on Canada’s policy when it comes to supply management. Parliament unanimously adopted a bill on this. He is well aware of the government’s position.”
