Canada's cabinet minister overseeing trade with the United States, Dominic LeBlanc, is scheduled to meet his American counterpart, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, on Friday in Washington, the minister's office confirmed.
The meeting will focus on the imminent trilateral review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement - known as USMCA in the United States and CUSMA in Canada - which must be reviewed by July 1 this year. Jean-Sébastien Comeau, director of communications for the minister's office, said the discussions will cover the upcoming trilateral review of the CUSMA, as well as bilateral concerns.
LeBlanc and Greer have not met in person this year; the minister noted that they have exchanged occasional phone calls. Their most recent face-to-face meeting took place in October.
Canada is pushing to reduce tariffs that it says have affected several key sectors, including steel and aluminum, automobiles and parts, copper products and lumber and wood products. The minister's office indicated these tariffs have contributed to job losses in Canada, even as data show that nearly 90% of Canada's overall exports to the United States have been flowing duty free under the terms of the USMCA pact.
President Donald Trump has in the past said he might abandon the trilateral agreement, calling it irrelevant for the United States and suggesting the U.S. could pursue separate agreements with Canada and Mexico instead.
Last week, in a fireside chat, LeBlanc said Canada was negotiating with the United States to lift tariffs affecting some sectors, and that any such agreement could be incorporated into bilateral pacts concurrent with a review of the broader free trade agreement.
U.S. Trade Representative Greer has described negotiations with Canada as "more challenging," pointing to unresolved barriers that include restrictions in dairy and milk markets and issues related to U.S. wine and spirits sales.
The formal joint review process of the USMCA has not yet begun between Canada and the United States, though the United States has already initiated its review with Mexico. The U.S. Trade Representative's office said on Thursday that U.S. and Mexican negotiators will start bilateral discussions in the week of March 16 as part of the joint review of the trade agreement.
Key background points:
- The USMCA/CUSMA trilateral agreement is subject to a formal review by July 1.
- Canada is seeking tariff relief on steel and aluminum, autos and parts, copper products and lumber and wood products.
- The United States has begun its review with Mexico ahead of bilateral talks starting the week of March 16.
What to watch:
- Whether the Friday meetings in Washington yield specific bilateral tariff agreements that could be integrated with wider USMCA review talks.
- Progress on contentious market access issues cited by the U.S., including dairy and milk restrictions and wine and spirits sales.