Canada has launched public consultations on the scheduled review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, but the priority remains obtaining relief from U.S. tariffs on steel, aluminum, autos and lumber, federal minister Dominic LeBlanc said.
Mr. LeBlanc, who is responsible for Canada-U.S. trade, said he expects to return to Washington shortly to continue talks with his American counterparts.
He said Ottawa wants Canadians over the next few weeks to offer advice on how to approach the mandated review of the USMCA. "We're looking for very specific suggestions from Canadian industry and Canadian workers in terms of what we might advance at the bargaining or at the review table with the United States."
The minister spoke to reporters in Mexico City during Prime Minister Mark Carney's visit with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
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Mr. LeBlanc was also asked about statements this week by U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra, who said the Trump administration had hoped to negotiate a grander bargain with Canada than simply a renewal of the USMCA. The envoy said this bigger deal Washington had hoped for would have encompassed a multitude of issues including defence, energy and autos.
Mr. LeBlanc said Canada is willing to sign a bigger deal "if one is in front of us, if one is available, that's in the interests of the Canadian economy, of Canadian workers." He added that Ottawa is continuing conversations with Washington about the Canada-U.S. security relationship.
"But I would say the unique focus in terms of the short-term objective is to see if we can find some relief in those strategic sectors: automobile, steel, aluminum, softwood lumber. Those conversations are ongoing," he said.
Mr. LeBlanc said Canada's ambassador to the United States Kirsten Hillman is talking to her counterparts and Michael Sabia, Clerk of the Privy Council, was in Washington in recent weeks.
The USMCA, which replaced NAFTA, came into effect on July 1, 2020, with a 16-year duration and automatic reviews scheduled every six years.