Our southern neighbours appear to have been caught offside by our tough stance
If the US thought Canada was going to be a push-over at the NAFTA talks it appears to have been given a shock.
People familiar with the talks say that Canada has emerged as the toughest negotiator despite taking a reserved tone in public compared to the other parties.
While President Trump and Mexico’s President Enrique Peña Nieto have been talking tough in public, at the talks in Washington it is Canada that has been firm on matters such as labour and the environment.
Canadian foreign minister Chrystia Freeland has stated that attracting investment must not intentionally weaken climate change policies but given President Trump’s stance on the Paris agreement, the environment is not top of his team’s priorities and will remain a point of friction with Canada.
“We are just defending our interests,” Canada’s chief negotiator, Steve Verheul, told Bloomberg.
It raises doubt that talks will be concluded by the end of the year, the preferred timetable for both the US and Mexico.
While a swift conclusion to talks may be favoured, Canada has signaled that it won’t be rushed into a bad deal, Mexico has said it would rather have no deal than a bad one, and President Trump may still cancel the agreement altogether.
People familiar with the talks say that Canada has emerged as the toughest negotiator despite taking a reserved tone in public compared to the other parties.
While President Trump and Mexico’s President Enrique Peña Nieto have been talking tough in public, at the talks in Washington it is Canada that has been firm on matters such as labour and the environment.
Canadian foreign minister Chrystia Freeland has stated that attracting investment must not intentionally weaken climate change policies but given President Trump’s stance on the Paris agreement, the environment is not top of his team’s priorities and will remain a point of friction with Canada.
“We are just defending our interests,” Canada’s chief negotiator, Steve Verheul, told Bloomberg.
It raises doubt that talks will be concluded by the end of the year, the preferred timetable for both the US and Mexico.
While a swift conclusion to talks may be favoured, Canada has signaled that it won’t be rushed into a bad deal, Mexico has said it would rather have no deal than a bad one, and President Trump may still cancel the agreement altogether.
