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, according to sources briefed on the matter. The aim is to submit a joint proposal to Trump a day ahead of the looming tariff deadline to provide ample time for the president to make a final decision before the scheduled imposition of new 50 per cent tariffs on numerous Canadian imports on August 19.
The sources, who requested anonymity as they were not authorized to speak publicly, revealed that the meeting between LeBlanc and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Washington marked their third face-to-face interaction in as many weeks. Following the hour-long meeting, neither LeBlanc nor Canada’s chief trade negotiator, Janice Charette, responded to reporters’ queries as they left Greer’s office on Tuesday.
LeBlanc later shared on social media that discussions were ongoing, emphasizing that he and Charette would continue engaging in negotiations. LeBlanc’s planned trip to Washington on Monday was disrupted due to severe weather conditions, leading to a diversion back to Montreal. Meanwhile, Charette spent the entire day meeting with officials from the Office of the United States Trade Representative in Washington.
In addition to efforts to dissuade the imposition of new tariffs, LeBlanc and Charette are seeking relief from sectoral tariffs imposed by the U.S. on Canadian steel, aluminum, lumber, and automotive products. Canada is also hopeful that ongoing trade discussions between the two nations will result in an extension of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) after the Trump administration opted not to renew the agreement in July.
The announcement of the August 19 tariffs by the U.S. highlighted various trade issues, including Canada’s response to U.S. trade policies by removing American alcohol from provincial stores and alleged discriminatory practices against U.S. vehicles and dairy products. The new tariffs are set to impact approximately five percent of Canadian exports to the U.S., covering a range of goods from alcohol to sports equipment to construction materials.
Conservative Member of Parliament Michelle Rempel Garner emphasized the importance of Canada ensuring a strong negotiating position with the White House. Rempel Garner criticized Prime Minister Mark Carney for not securing a trade agreement with the Trump administration despite being in office for over a year. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre also urged Carney to demonstrate resolve in trade negotiations, advocating for favorable terms such as zero tariffs on softwood lumber, elimination of sectoral tariffs on steel and aluminum, a tariff-free auto pact, and exemption from Buy America regulations on infrastructure projects across all government levels.