OTTAWA: The negotiations to amend and modernize NAFTA a trade pact concluded between Canada, Mexico, and the US back in 1994 have faltered without yielding any major breakthroughs throughout past several months. However, Canadian representatives suggest the talks should move to another round, whilst the Trump administration is increasingly leaning toward abandoning what it sees as an unfair trade agreement.
Canada’s chief negotiator Steve Verheul says trade representatives and diplomats from the three countries are trying to reach mutual understanding on key issues, and have achieved some progress.
“We’re moving in a slightly more positive direction. We’ll take that encouragement where we can,” Verheul said, adding he hopes political leaders in the three member-countries decide the talks should continue.
This comes after the US slapped prohibitively high customs tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber, resulting in a dramatic drop in Canadian southbound lumber exports. Additionally, a merger and acquisition dispute between Boeing and Airbus over the Canadian regional jet-maker Bombardier — resolved in favor of Airbus — didn’t contribute to easing US-Canadian trade tensions.
