Canada wants to keep free trade with US:
PM Trudeau
US President Donald Trump is threatening to
target countries, including Canada, that contribute to America's
substantial trade deficit, a move being taken as a protectionist warning
shot.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised to explain to the Trump
administration the importance of free trade between Canada and the
United States, particularly for jobs.
US President Donald Trump is
threatening to target countries, including Canada, that contribute to
America's substantial trade deficit, a move being taken as a
protectionist warning shot.
The United States is Canada's biggest
trading partner, with a trade surplus on merchandise alone last year of
32.5 billion Canadian dollars (USD 24.4 billion).
Trudeau said it
was "extremely important" to work with the Trump administration on the
issue, without dramatising the US decision to target Canada along with
more than a dozen other countries.
"The United States regularly assess their trade partners, there is nothing particularly new about
this," Trudeau told a press conference.
"We know the conversations
we will be having on how we can improve trade, freedom to send goods of
services people across the border. It's good for both of our
countries,"
"We emphasise with the Americans... that
there are many jobs in Canada that create jobs in the United States and
vice versa. We do better when we have open and robust relationships in
international trade."
He said the neighbouring countries had "a very positive working relationship" to ensure good jobs on both sides of the border.
Canada
is linked to the United States and Mexico through the North American
Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) which Trump wants to renegotiate.
The Canadian premier said the agreement "has been improved upon."
He
said good jobs on both US and Canadian soil "rely on the smooth and
efficient flow of goods and services and people" across the border,
adding that "growth for the middle class" was a shared goal.
In
addition to an ongoing conflict over US curbs on imports of Canadian
timber, dairy products are also a source of discord between the two
partners.
Trump is set to sign an executive order today requiring
staff to pinpoint countries and goods responsible for America's nearly
USD 50 billion a month trade deficit.
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