Canadian trade officials are holding discussions with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Washington once more, as both parties strive to finalize a crucial trade agreement before the looming tariff deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Canadian Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc’s office confirmed to CBC News that he, along with chief trade negotiator Janice Charette, will engage in talks with Greer later today. This marks the second meeting this week between Canadian and American trade representatives and the fourth within a span of three weeks.
Negotiations have intensified following Trump’s threat to impose 50 percent duties on numerous Canadian products, in addition to existing sectoral tariffs. The scheduled implementation date for these tariffs is August 19.
Reports indicate that American officials presented a new proposal on Tuesday, aiming to reduce certain sectoral tariffs, although not to the extent desired by the Canadian side. In return, the U.S. is pushing for a deal that includes preferential access to Canadian critical minerals, along with provisions covering security and energy.
LeBlanc and Greer are reportedly working on a proposal to present to Trump before the tariff deadline. However, sources reveal that Canadian officials have strongly conveyed to their American counterparts that continuing negotiations would be challenging if the August 19 tariffs are enforced.
The U.S. government attributes these tariffs to various trade disputes, including Canada’s response to U.S. trade policies, such as the removal of U.S. alcohol from provincial stores, as well as alleged discrimination against American motor vehicles and dairy products.