Canada isn’t taking part in this week’s NAFTA talks between the U.S. and Mexico, putting Trudeau government officials into spin mode. As Global News reports, sources say the bilateral discussions are just about items specific only to U.S.-Mexico trade.
One source told Global that Canada’s exclusion from the negotiations is actually a positive development.
“I actually feel somewhat cautiously encouraged by the fact that the Mexicans are able to be back at the table,” the Trudeau government source revealed.
“I think the fact they’re able to carve out some space to pick up on the conversation from where it was at, without knowing the outcomes — that, at least in and of itself, isn’t a bad thing.”
But questions remain as to whether President Donald Trump is working on a trade deal with Mexico that will leave Canada spinning in the wind — especially given the summer of discontent between Trump and Trudeau, who have clashed at the G7 meeting in Quebec and at the NATO summit over defense spending.
Trump has expressed optimism of late about a NAFTA deal being finalized by the end of August — but will Canada be part of it?
But the anonymous Canadian official quoted by Global insisted there is nothing unusual about the U.S. and Mexico meeting separately without Canada and suggested Canada could be back at the negotiating table by mid-month — even though no talks have yet been scheduled.