Canada’s Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc and his American counterpart are working towards presenting a potential trade deal to U.S. President Donald Trump by Monday, sources have revealed to CBC News. The aim is to deliver a joint proposal to Trump a day before the upcoming tariff deadline, providing him with time to make a final decision before new 50% tariffs on numerous Canadian imports are set to go into effect on August 19. The sources, who were briefed on the matter, remain anonymous as they were not authorized to speak publicly.
In an effort to extend the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement, LeBlanc held a meeting with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Washington on Tuesday, marking their third face-to-face meeting in three weeks. Following the meeting, neither LeBlanc nor Canada’s chief trade negotiator, Janice Charette, responded to reporters’ inquiries. LeBlanc later confirmed ongoing discussions in a post on X, mentioning that he and Charette would continue engaging at the negotiation table.
Apart from discouraging new tariffs, LeBlanc and Charette are seeking relief from sectoral tariffs imposed by the U.S. on Canadian steel, aluminum, lumber, and autos. Canada is also hopeful that the current trade negotiations will lead to an extension of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) after the Trump administration opted not to renew the deal in July.
When the U.S. announced the upcoming tariffs on August 19, various trade issues were raised, including Canada’s response to U.S. trade policies by removing U.S. alcohol from provincial stores and alleged discrimination against U.S. motor vehicles and dairy products. The new tariffs will impact approximately 5% of Canadian exports to the U.S., covering a range of goods from alcohol to hockey sticks to cement.
Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner emphasized the importance of Canada negotiating from a position of strength with the White House. She also pointed out the need for Prime Minister Mark Carney to deliver on securing a trade agreement with the Trump administration, highlighting the concerns raised by Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre regarding tariff policies on softwood lumber, steel, aluminum, autos, and Buy America rules on infrastructure projects. Poilievre urged Carney to demonstrate resolve in the ongoing trade negotiations.