Reading Time: 3 minutes Washington | Reuters — U.S. and Canadian negotiators pushed ahead in grinding talks to rescue the North American Free Trade Agreement on Thursday, but a few stubborn issues stood in the way of a deal, including dairy, protection for media companies, and how to solve future trade disputes. A U.S. source familiar with the discussions […] Read more
U.S.-Canada trade talks grind on, ‘final’ issues unresolved
Progress seen in NAFTA talks
Reading Time: 3 minutes Washington | Reuters — The U.S. and Canada have made progress in talks to revise the North American Free Trade Agreement, and officials from the two sides will work together into the night to flesh out areas for further discussion, Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said on Wednesday. Freeland sounded upbeat as she emerged from […] Read more
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
Fear, frustration on dairy farms as trade concessions sought
Reading Time: 3 minutes Winnipeg/Montreal | Reuters — Marie-Pier Vincent, a fourth-generation Quebec dairy farmer, worries it will be even harder to make ends meet if Canada allows more tariff-free imports of milk products from the U.S. under a reworked North American Free Trade Agreement. Vincent, 28, is already looking for a second job to pay back the money […] Read more
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
Trump, Trudeau upbeat about prospects for NAFTA deal by Friday
Reading Time: 3 minutes Washington | Reuters — The leaders of the U.S. and Canada expressed optimism on Wednesday that they could reach new NAFTA deal by a Friday deadline as negotiators prepared to talk through the night, although Canada warned that a number of tricky issues remained. Under pressure, Canada rejoined the talks to modernize the 24-year-old North […] Read more
Canada rejoins NAFTA talks, deal seen as possible this week
Reading Time: 3 minutes Washington | Reuters — Canada’s top trade negotiator joins her Mexican and U.S. counterparts in Washington on Tuesday in a bid to remain part of a revamped trilateral North American trade pact, as U.S. officials expressed optimism a deal could be reached this week. But Ottawa will be under pressure to accept new terms on […] Read more
Dairy farmer, advocate Bettina Schuurmans, 55
Reading Time: 2 minutes Funeral services will be held Wednesday in Elmira, Ont. for well known dairy farmer Bettina Schuurmans, who with her husband took to the road this summer in support of Canada’s dairy sector. Schuurmans and husband Henk, who owned and operated Milky Wave Farms near Elmira with their sons, had been on the road on their […] Read more
Babybel cheesemakers to set up Quebec plant
Reading Time: 2 minutes The makers of those little individual cheese snacks in the red wax shells plan to start producing them at their own new Canadian plant starting in early 2020. France’s Bel Group, whose brands in Canada include The Laughing Cow, Boursin and the aforementioned Mini Babybel, announced Thursday it will put up $87 million to build […] Read more
J.M. Smucker to sell U.S. baking brands
Reading Time: < 1 minute Reuters — J.M. Smucker Co. said on Monday it would sell its U.S. baking business, which includes brands such as Pillsbury, Martha White and Hungry Jack, to private equity firm Brynwood Partners for US$375 million. The deal includes a manufacturing facility in Toledo, Ohio, but excludes the baking business in Canada, the company said. “The […] Read more
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