Overview
- President Donald Trump announced a three-day pause on planned 50% tariffs on about $20 billion of Canadian goods on Wednesday to allow negotiators time to finalize deal documents.
- Canada’s lead negotiators Dominic LeBlanc and Janice Charette met with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Washington to press on remaining sticking points, notably the level of auto duties, how to preserve Canada’s dairy supply-management system while expanding U.S. access, and provincial restrictions on U.S. alcohol sales.
- USTR Jamieson Greer said the emerging package would include comprehensive market access for U.S. goods, economic-security commitments and digital-trade alignment, though Ottawa has not publicly confirmed the full concessions on offer.
- The White House invoked Section 338 of the Tariff Act to set the 50% duties, a rarely used and legally untested authority, and economists warn that if imposed the levies could disrupt integrated North American supply chains, raise consumer prices and hit certain provincial industries.
- Negotiators must formalize documents before the pause expires at 12:01 a.m. ET on Saturday, and provincial leaders, affected businesses and U.S. political timing will shape whether the tentative accord is signed, revised or collapses back into higher tariffs.