Carney says U.S. won’t exit CUSMA: ‘That’s not what they’re saying’
Global News
Dominic LeBlanc, the minister responsible for Canada-U.S. relation also says he has no reason to believe the Trump administration is preparing to tear up the free trade agreement.
Prime Minister Mark Carney is pushing back on the suggestion that the U.S. may be considering pulling out of North America’s trilateral free-trade pact.
When The Canadian Press asked the prime minister if he was open to separate bilateral trade pacts if the U.S. withdraws, Carney replied, “That’s not what they’re saying.”
U.S. Trade Representative Jamison Greer said in a public talk on Wednesday that the continental free-trade pact could be exited, revised or renegotiated — and that “all of those things are on the table.”
Dominic LeBlanc, the minister responsible for Canada-U.S. relations who has been a lead negotiator on trade talks this year, told The Canadian Press that he has no reason to believe the Trump administration is preparing to tear up the free trade agreement.
“We believe, based on our conversations with the Americans, that for the moment that’s not the objective the Americans have in mind,” LeBlanc said in a year-end interview conducted in French this week.
Canada’s most important free trade deal, the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement — often referred to as CUSMA — is set to come up for review next year.
Canada’s former chief trade negotiator Steve Verheul has warned members of Parliament the U.S. will likely seek to ramp up pressure on Canada and Mexico during the review by not supporting an extension of the agreement.
LeBlanc, the MP for the New Brunswick riding of Beauséjour, said the Mexicans have a similar read of the situation that the United States will review CUSMA rather than rip it up.
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Dominic LeBlanc, the minister responsible for Canada-U.S. relation also says he has no reason to believe the Trump administration is preparing to tear up the free trade agreement.
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