OTTAWA — Canada is signalling it’s ready to move quickly on CUSMA talks, with Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc making it clear the country won’t be the reason for any delays.
Speaking after a committee meeting on international trade, LeBlanc said Canada is fully prepared to push negotiations forward on the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), with discussions expected to heat up ahead of a key summer timeline.
“We certainly won’t be the source of any delay,” he said, noting that Canada has already submitted proposals and continues to hold constructive talks with U.S. officials.
While earlier comments from U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer suggested not all issues may be resolved by July 1, LeBlanc emphasized that the date isn’t a hard deadline—and Canada is ready to act as soon as Washington is.
Behind the scenes, negotiations are ongoing at multiple levels, including recent discussions with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, which LeBlanc described as “positive.” Talks are also continuing between top negotiators on both sides to iron out key sticking points.
The upcoming review of CUSMA could see the agreement extended, scrapped, or pushed into yearly negotiations that may last up to a decade. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump has floated the idea of replacing the deal with separate bilateral agreements, adding uncertainty to the process.
LeBlanc stressed that Canada is aiming for a comprehensive agreement—one that not only addresses trade rules but also brings relief to key industries like steel, aluminum, autos, and lumber.
🇨🇦 With pressure mounting and deadlines approaching, Canada says it’s ready to get a deal done—now it’s waiting on the U.S. to match that pace.
(Source: Global News)
Stay in the know with everything happening in Brampton, right here on Brampton-News.com
