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WASHINGTON — Canada sent a letter to the United States and Mexico recommending that the three countries renew the continental trade pact shortly before Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc travelled to Washington Tuesday to meet with his American counterpart.
The letter from LeBlanc to United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Mexico’s Secretary of Economy Marcelo Ebrard is a requirement of the mandatory review of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement on trade, known in Canada as CUSMA.
“Canadian, American and Mexican farmers, businesses, workers and consumers are counting on the timely completion of this work to provide the certainty and stability that is essential to maintaining the conditions that not only secure their economic futures but allow them to prosper,” the letter said.
Speaking in Washington on Tuesday, LeBlanc said he had received similar letters from U.S. and Mexican trade officials but would not disclose what they said.
Speaking alongside Canada’s chief trade negotiator Janice Charette before their meeting with Greer, LeBlanc said the Canadian side is focused on the work.
“This trip has not been without some turbulence. We’ve all been in contexts where there’s turbulence — you don’t take your seatbelt off and run up and down the aisle and kick in the cockpit door. You remain focused on the work that you need to do, and you come through the turbulence very much focused on the outcome,” he said.
“The outcome that we’re looking for is one that’s in the interest of Canadian workers and farmers and Canadian businesses.”
While official CUSMA trade talks between Ottawa and Washington have yet to begin, the United States and Mexico have started their negotiations.
Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters in Ottawa on Tuesday that the United States has separate issues with Canada and Mexico.
“There’s a series of issues, technical issues, that they have with Mexico, they have with us, which is why there’s a bifurcated discussion,” he said.
He said the U.S. has a list of about 30 issues with Canada of “varying technicality.”
Ottawa is also looking at “a possibility of a new partnership” to lessen the impacts of U.S. President Donald Trump’s separate tariffs that are slamming Canada’s steel, aluminum, automobile and forestry industries, Carney said.
The continental trade pact has helped to shield Canada and Mexico from the worst impacts of Trump’s tariffs. The current 10 per cent U.S. global duty does not apply to goods compliant with CUSMA.
CUSMA was negotiated during the first Trump administration to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement. But Trump has since criticized the trade agreement by calling it irrelevant and saying it may have served its purpose.
Greer also has said he’d be open to two separate bilateral agreements but has noted that aspects of CUSMA work very well.
The CUSMA review sets up a three-way choice for each country to make. They can renew the deal for another 16 years, withdraw from it or signal both non-renewal and non-withdrawal — which would trigger an annual review that could keep negotiations going for up to a decade.
LeBlanc’s letter pushed for the 16-year renewal.
“Canada looks forward to continued engagement with both the United States and Mexico on opportunities to expand our trading partnership and is willing to consider any proposal that can be beneficial to all three nations’ long-term prosperity,” he said in the letter.
“In parallel, discussion with the United States on addressing sectoral tariffs will be essential.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 2, 2026.
Kelly Geraldine Malone, The Canadian Press
