Alberta Premier Daniel Smith said he agrees with Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s suggestion that Canada and the United States consider excluding Mexico from the North American Trade Agreement.
Mr. Smith was asked: power and politics Whether host David Cochran agrees with Ford’s proposal to take Mexico out of the deal unless it tightens regulations on Chinese products.
“1000 percent,” she replied. “I very much agree with what he says.
“The real problem we have is that Mexico has not been an equal partner with the United States. On top of that, Mexico is inviting China to participate in investing in Mexico.”
On Tuesday, Ford floated the idea of returning to a bilateral trade agreement between Canada and the United States, as it existed before the enactment of NAFTA in 1994.
He said Mexico has become a “back door for Chinese cars, auto parts and other products to enter Canadian and U.S. markets.” He said if Mexico cannot match Canada and the United States’ tariffs on imports from China, “Mexico should not have a seat at the table and should not enjoy access to the world’s largest economy.” Ta.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Mexico is acting as a backdoor for imports from China, squeezing Canadian workers. Ford released a statement on Tuesday hinting at the possibility of a bilateral trade agreement between the United States and Canada.
The current trilateral agreement, known in Canada as CUSMA (Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement), will need to be reviewed in 2026. US President-elect Donald Trump promised to renegotiate the agreement during his election campaign.
The U.S. government is concerned about Chinese-funded car factories being built in Mexico. Chinese EV maker BYD is looking for a factory in Mexico that can supply the U.S. market.
Ford referenced these factories in a media statement, saying “free trade must be fair.”
Smith said Chinese investment in Mexico is “hollowing out manufacturing not only in the United States but also in Canada. That’s why I think we need to take a bilateral approach.”
“I think if we can get a bilateral agreement, we can avoid tariffs and have a truly constructive relationship with the United States,” Smith added.
Canadian officials at all levels are concerned about President Trump’s pledge to impose a minimum 10% tariff on all imports coming into the United States. source of information said CBC News reported that President Trump’s allies have not offered any guarantees of reprieve to Canada.
On Wednesday, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said she had heard concerns from U.S. partners about whether Mexico is “fully aligned on our policy toward China.”
“I think these are legitimate concerns that America’s partners and neighbors have. They are concerns that I share.”
Mr. Freeland declined to say whether he supported Mr. Ford’s idea of a bilateral agreement with the United States, instead insisting that Canada is “aligned” with the United States on trade with China.
On Thursday, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said in Spanish that Ford’s proposal “has no future” and that Mexico would defend Canada in final NAFTA negotiations.
Kinew: States could play a bigger role in US talks
In an interview with CBC the house Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew said on Saturday’s broadcast that the federal government is “effectively in a pre-election period” where the province can play a greater role in strengthening trade ties with the United States. he suggested.
Several states have contacted U.S. lawmakers. Mr. Kinew led a delegation to Washington in April, but Ontario and Alberta have their own representatives in the U.S. capital.
Mr Kinew told host Katherine Cullen there was a “real opportunity” to secure a good relationship with the US because the state controls natural resources and energy projects.
the house14:43Should Mexico be kicked out of the new NAFTA?
Host Katherine Cullen asks Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew about trade, as Ontario Premier Doug Ford hints at throwing Mexico under the tariff bus ahead of President Trump’s return to the White House. He talks about the incoming administration’s concerns about tariffs and the porous U.S.-Canada border.
Regarding Mexico, Kinew said concerns were raised during a delegation’s visit to Washington and were “being actively considered in the United States.”
Mr. Kinew also called on Canada to invest to meet the military spending target of 2 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) for NATO members. He said that was a “minimum condition” for engaging with the incoming Trump administration.
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew is visiting the United States on his first international trade mission as premier. He said it is important to deepen economic ties with the United States, even as the upcoming presidential election makes future U.S. policy on trade uncertain.
American lawmakers have been pressuring Canada to meet that goal. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in July that Canada would reach the standard by 2032.
Manitoba also has ties to North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, one of President Trump’s Cabinet nominees for Secretary of the Interior.
Kinew and his NDP government contacted Burgum in preparation for trade negotiations. The premier said Burgum also offered to help when a pipeline near Winnipeg was shut down in March.
“If we had someone in the White House who could point to Manitoba on a map, that would definitely be a welcome sign,” Kinew said.
