Carney says more work remains in U.S. trade talks

Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada’s negotiating team made some progress in Washington this week, but that an overall deal with the United States still needs more work. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc and chief negotiator Janice Charette briefed an advisory council in Ottawa on their meeting with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. Members of the council said the discussion was candid and suggested the talks are moving forward. The negotiations are focused on renewing CUSMA, the CanadaU.S.Mexico trade agreement, as well as on a number of trade irritants. Those include U.S. tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum, concerns over streaming rules, alcohol sales, and energy issues. Canada has also raised President Donald Trump’s tariff measures tied to national security and forced labour. Business and industry representatives on the advisory council said the key challenge remains the sectoral tariffs, while officials said the two sides continue to discuss possible solutions. The July 1 review date is being treated as a signal of intent rather than a hard deadline, and the agreement could stay in place if the three countries do not all agree to change it.