Overview
- Canada’s trade minister Dominic LeBlanc and chief negotiator Janice Charette met U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Washington on Thursday as negotiators pressed to present an interim package before the Aug. 19 deadline.
- The White House has set a plan to impose 50% tariffs on about US$20 billion of Canadian goods on Aug. 19 and is already enforcing sectoral tariffs on steel, aluminum, autos and lumber.
- U.S. offers discussed this week would cut some sectoral levies but Canadian officials say the reductions do not go far enough to protect exposed industries.
- Washington is seeking concessions such as preferential access to Canadian critical minerals and changes on security, energy and provincial procurement rules while Ottawa is pushing for meaningful tariff relief across autos, metals and forestry.
- Surveys show around two in five Canadian exporters sell goods that would be hit, many expect revenue losses and officials warn that if the Aug. 19 duties take effect talks will harden and Canada may retaliate, risking wider supply‑chain disruption.