Canada, on Thursday, shrugged off U.S. President Donald Trump’s criticism that talks to modernize NAFTA were moving too slowly and made clear it had to keep negotiating as long as there was a chance of success.
This story by Reuters appeared in Automotive News Canada.
The prospects for a quick deal to update the North American Free Trade Agreement appeared to dim on Wednesday after Trump blasted Canada’s stance and threatened to impose tariffs on cars imported from Canada.
“The Americans are finding that the negotiations are tough because Canadians are tough negotiators, as we should be,” Trudeau told reporters on the way into a regular weekly cabinet meeting in Ottawa.
“But a good fair deal is still very possible. We won’t sign a bad deal for Canadians,” he added, saying his office had not requested a private meeting with Trump.
The U.S. has imposed a Sept. 30 deadline for Canada to agree to the text of a new NAFTA.
Canada, which sends 75 percent of its goods exports to the U.S., is vulnerable. The Canadian dollar weakened to its lowest in more than two weeks against the U.S. greenback early on Thursday before recovering slightly.
But insiders – who requested anonymity given the sensitivity of the situation – say there is no alternative for Canada but to keep trying to settle the differences between the two nations and ignore mounting pressure from the U.S. administration.
Canada, on Thursday, shrugged off U.S. President Donald Trump’s criticism that talks to modernize NAFTA were moving too slowly and made clear it had to keep negotiating as long as there was a chance of success.
This story by Reuters appeared in Automotive News Canada.
The prospects for a quick deal to update the North American Free Trade Agreement appeared to dim on Wednesday after Trump blasted Canada’s stance and threatened to impose tariffs on cars imported from Canada.
“The Americans are finding that the negotiations are tough because Canadians are tough negotiators, as we should be,” Trudeau told reporters on the way into a regular weekly cabinet meeting in Ottawa.
“But a good fair deal is still very possible. We won’t sign a bad deal for Canadians,” he added, saying his office had not requested a private meeting with Trump.
The U.S. has imposed a Sept. 30 deadline for Canada to agree to the text of a new NAFTA.
Canada, which sends 75 percent of its goods exports to the U.S., is vulnerable. The Canadian dollar weakened to its lowest in more than two weeks against the U.S. greenback early on Thursday before recovering slightly.
But insiders – who requested anonymity given the sensitivity of the situation – say there is no alternative for Canada but to keep trying to settle the differences between the two nations and ignore mounting pressure from the U.S. administration.