Canada Seeks 16-Year Renewal of North American Trade Pact

Canada's minister for U.S. trade sent a letter Tuesday to the United States Trade Representative and Mexico's Secretary of Economy calling for the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement to be renewed for another 16 years. The letter states that the pact benefits each country and the integrated North American economy.

Officials from Canada are in Washington this week for meetings with their U.S. counterpart ahead of the July review.

Background on the Agreement The agreement replaced the earlier North American Free Trade Agreement and has governed trade among the three countries since the early 1990s. Many goods from Canada and Mexico currently avoid certain tariffs under the pact. Canada's Chief Trade Negotiator joined the minister in Washington for the discussions.

Minister Mark Carney noted weakness in the Canadian economy while entering a cabinet meeting Tuesday. He said the United States maintains about 30 trade irritants with Canada compared with nearly 60 with Mexico. Ontario Premier Doug Ford posted that Canada will never become the 51st state and is not for sale.

Carney said there is a possibility of a new partnership emerging from the talks. Some tariffs on items such as aluminum remain outside the agreement and continue to affect cross-border supply chains.