Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada and the United States have made significant headway in trade negotiations, as Washington agreed to postpone a steep tariff on Canadian goods for a few more days.
In a statement issued Tuesday, Carney said Canada has been engaged in “intensive discussions” with the U.S. in recent weeks to resolve outstanding trade issues.
“Over the last number of weeks, Canada has engaged in intensive discussions with the United States to address outstanding trade issues and deliver greater certainty and real benefits for Canadian businesses, workers, farmers, and families,” Carney said.
The prime minister said the two countries have made “substantial progress,” though he cautioned that important work remains.
“Substantial progress has been made, although there is important work still to be done,” he said.
As talks continue, the United States has agreed to delay the implementation of a 50 per cent tariff on a range of Canadian goods under Section 338 of the U.S. Tariff Act of 1930 until the end of day on August 21, Carney said.
Carney said Canada is not letting up on efforts to strengthen its domestic economy while the negotiations play out.
“While we continue this work, Canada remains focused on building a stronger, more independent, and more competitive economy at home,” he said.
The statement did not provide further details on what remains unresolved in the negotiations or what would happen if a deal is not reached before the new deadline.
