Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks Aug. 23, 2017 at a Montreal charity event. (PM.gc.ca)

Trudeau indicates no compromise on key NAFTA demands

Reading Time: < 1 minute Surrey, B.C. | Reuters — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau indicated Tuesday that Canada would not compromise on key demands at high-level talks this week with the U.S. to update the North American Free Trade Agreement. Senior officials from both sides are due to meet in Washington on Wednesday in a bid to settle major differences […] Read more

(Canada Border Services Agency video screengrab)

Dispute resolution in focus as NAFTA talks drag

Reading Time: 3 minutes Toronto/Washington | Reuters –– Canada and the United States ended talks to revamp the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) on Friday without reaching a deal. One longstanding issue is Chapter 19 of NAFTA, a dispute resolution mechanism that the United States significantly scaled back in a bilateral deal it reached with Mexico. What is […] Read more


Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland takes part in a news conference at the Canadian embassy in Washington, D.C. on Aug. 31. (Photo: Reuters/Chris Wattie)

U.S. to move ahead with Mexico pact, keep talking to Canada

Reading Time: 2 minutes Washington/Toronto | Reuters — Contentious U.S.-Canada trade talks ended on Friday with no deal to revamp the North American Free Trade Agreement after the mood soured, and President Donald Trump notified Congress of his intent to sign a bilateral trade pact with Mexico. U.S. and Canadian trade officials set plans to resume their talks on […] Read more

U.S. President Donald Trump holds “Make Our Farmers Great Again” hats during a “Make America Great Again” rally in Evansville, Indiana on Aug. 30, 2018. (Photo: Reuters/Kevin Lamarque)

Canada, U.S. push toward NAFTA deal by Friday

Reading Time: 2 minutes Washington | Reuters — Top NAFTA negotiators from Canada and the U.S. increased the pace of their negotiations Thursday to resolve final differences to meet a Friday deadline, with their Mexican counterpart on standby to rejoin the talks soon. Despite some contentious issues still on the table, the increasingly positive tone contrasted with U.S. President […] Read more


(Dave Bedard photo)

U.S. maps out tariff-related direct payments to farmers

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — The U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Monday its farm aid package would include US$4.7 billion in direct payments to farmers to help offset losses from retaliatory tariffs on U.S. exports this season. The bulk of the payments, $3.6 billion, would be made to soybean farmers (all figures US$). That amounts […] Read more

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U.S., Mexico reach NAFTA deal, turning up pressure on Canada

Reading Time: 3 minutes Washington | Reuters — The U.S. and Mexico agreed on Monday to overhaul the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), putting pressure on Canada to agree to new terms on auto trade and dispute settlement rules to remain part of the three-nation pact. Auto stocks soared and financial markets firmed on the expectation that Canada […] Read more



A giant Mexican flag at Cozumel’s Puerta Maya. (CIA.gov)

U.S. drops ag demand from NAFTA talks, Mexico farm lobby says

Reading Time: 2 minutes Mexico City | Reuters — The United States has dropped a contentious demand from the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement to impose restrictions on Mexican agricultural exports, Mexico’s top farm lobby said on Sunday. Talks to rework the 24-year-old pact are entering a crucial phase and Mexican Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo said […] Read more


(Assnat.qc.ca)

Quebec offers aid to lessen brunt of U.S. tariffs

Reading Time: < 1 minute Montreal | Reuters — The Quebec government on Wednesday said it would spend $863 million over five years to mitigate the impact of U.S. tariffs on companies and the province’s agriculture sector. The plan would provide direct financial aid to some companies affected by the tariffs and would support investments to improve productivity, worker training […] Read more

Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister Lyle Stewart, shown here at Ag in Motion in 2015, plans to leave the post following a recent cancer diagnosis. (File photo by Lisa Guenther)

Saskatchewan ag minister to exit cabinet

Reading Time: < 1 minute Saskatchewan’s premier expects to name a new minister of agriculture within days, as the incumbent minister steps aside to focus on cancer treatments. Lyle Stewart announced Thursday he will remain as ag minister until Premier Scott Moe names a new minister, a decision to be announced sometime this week. “I was recently diagnosed with colorectal […] Read more