US and Canada Resume Trade Talks as Tariff Deadline Nears
Top US and Canadian trade officials will hold a third day of talks in Washington as a Saturday tariff deadline looms.
Top trade negotiators from Canada and the United States are set to meet for a third consecutive day in Washington on Friday, intensifying efforts to reach a deal before new American tariffs take effect on Saturday.
Canada's minister for US trade relations, Dominic LeBlanc, is scheduled to meet US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer at 10:30 p.m. EDT (1430 GMT), according to a statement from LeBlanc's office.
The two officials held talks lasting more than three hours on Thursday. After that session, LeBlanc said the two sides were "very close" to an agreement, though he acknowledged that additional work remained.
The urgency stems from a deadline set by US President Donald Trump, who has said he will impose a new 50% tariff on roughly $20 billion worth of Canadian goods at 12:01 a.m. EDT (0401 GMT) on Saturday if no deal is reached.
A successful agreement could ease tensions that have marked relations between the two longtime allies and major trading partners for nearly two years. It would also clear the way for broader negotiations on renewing the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement.