U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that negotiations with Canada on a tentative trade deal were “moving along,” as officials from both countries worked to finalize the terms ahead of yet another tariff deadline.
Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Canada’s chief negotiator Janice Charette met with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Washington on Friday, alongside a delegation of Canadian trade officials.
Negotiators were working to iron out an agreement before sweeping 50 per cent tariffs on billions of dollars worth of goods are due to take effect at midnight Saturday.
Trump, speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force One to travel to South Carolina, would not say whether he might extend that deadline once again.
“The deal with Canada is moving along, and we should be able to have a deal with Canada,” Trump said.
The American tariffs were expected to take effect on Wednesday, but Trump delayed the levies for three days citing a “deal” that was in the works between both sides.
Canadian officials, led by LeBlanc and Charette, have been trying to finalize the finer points of the deal with Greer.
Mark Wiseman, Canada’s ambassador to the United States, and Marc-Andre Blanchard, Prime Minister Mark Carney’s chief of staff, are also taking part in meetings for a second day in a row.
During a virtual meeting with Canada’s premiers on Wednesday, Carney asked them to put U.S. alcohol back on their shelves to help the deal progress, several premiers said.
Provincial boycotts of American alcohol have been a major trade irritant for Trump, who pointed to what he called “discriminatory” measures when he announced fresh tariffs on Canada last month.
After a meeting with Greer that lasted around three hours on Thursday afternoon, LeBlanc said the two sides were “very close” to a final deal.
“We’re very close, we continue to make progress,” LeBlanc told reporters.
A source with direct knowledge of the talks said the U.S. could cut steel and aluminum tariffs from 50 per cent to 25 per cent and auto tariffs from 25 per cent to 15 per cent.
Two sources also told Global News that tariff relief for Canada’s softwood lumber industry is also being discussed.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said it would “unacceptable” to have any sectoral tariffs on steel, aluminum, automobiles and lumber under a new trade deal.