Canadian trade officials are set to convene with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Washington once more as both parties strive to finalize a crucial trade agreement before the looming tariff deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump. The office of Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc confirmed to CBC News that a meeting will take place this afternoon with chief trade negotiator Janice Charette. This marks the second meeting of the week between the Canadian and American trade representatives and the fourth within a span of three weeks.
Discussions between the two sides have intensified following Trump’s threat to impose 50% duties on numerous Canadian products in addition to existing sectoral tariffs. The scheduled implementation date for these tariffs is August 19.
Recent reports indicate that the Americans presented a new proposal on Tuesday, aiming to reduce certain sectoral tariffs, although not to the extent desired by the Canadian delegation. Furthermore, sources reveal that the U.S. is pursuing an agreement that includes access to Canadian critical minerals and encompasses security and energy considerations.
LeBlanc and Greer are reportedly working on a proposal to present to President Trump before the tariff deadline, with hopes of outlining a potential trade path as early as Monday. However, Canadian sources have emphasized to their American counterparts that if the August 19 tariffs are enforced, there would be limited support among Canadians to continue negotiations.
The U.S. government attributes the impending tariffs to various trade disputes, including Canada’s response to U.S. trade policies by removing U.S. alcohol from provincial retail shelves, as well as alleged discriminatory practices against American motor vehicles and dairy products.