Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc remains in Washington on Thursday as negotiations continue ahead of an approaching U.S. tariff deadline.
A new round of 50 per cent U.S. tariffs targeting a range of Canadian goods is scheduled to take effect on August 19, increasing pressure on Ottawa and Washington to make progress in their ongoing trade discussions.
Unlike many of the Trump administration’s other tariffs, the latest measures would not provide exemptions for goods that comply with the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement, or CUSMA.
LeBlanc said earlier this week that he and Canada’s chief trade negotiator, Janice Charette, met with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer as officials from both countries continued discussions.
Greer has said the proposed tariffs are linked to several longstanding U.S. concerns involving Canadian trade policy, including provincial restrictions on American liquor, Canada’s supply-managed dairy sector and quotas affecting certain U.S. vehicles.
The approaching deadline comes as Canada and the United States attempt to resolve their differences and prevent a further escalation in cross-border trade tensions.
CUSMA, which governs trade between Canada, the United States and Mexico, was negotiated during Donald Trump’s first administration as a replacement for the North American Free Trade Agreement.
With the August 19 deadline only days away, LeBlanc’s continued presence in Washington signals that high-level discussions are continuing as both sides consider their next steps.
