WASHINGTON (AP) — Canadian negotiators are traveling to brief Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in person on the state of negotiations with the United States on a deal that would allow Canada to remain in a North American trade bloc.
Canada’s envoy — Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland — left a meeting with U.S. Trade Rep. Robert Lighthizer Tuesday night. She said the talks were at a point where discussing them face-to-face with the prime minister “is absolutely essential.”
[cmsmasters_html shortcode_id=”p8bjggwwh”]PGlmcmFtZSB3aWR0aD0iNTYwIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjMxNSIgc3JjPSJodHRwczovL3d3dy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbS9lbWJlZC9TNXJSRXc5RDdkNCIgZnJhbWVib3JkZXI9IjAiIGFsbG93PSJhdXRvcGxheTsgZW5jcnlwdGVkLW1lZGlhIiBhbGxvd2Z1bGxzY3JlZW4+PC9pZnJhbWU+[/cmsmasters_html]
Trudeau and his ministers will hold a caucus retreat in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, to plot their strategy.
The U.S. and Mexico last month reached a preliminary agreement to replace the 24-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement. But those talks excluded Canada, the third NAFTA country.
US and Mexico tentatively set to replace NAFTA with new deal