Yesterday, the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development, met with Katherine Tai, United States Trade Representative, as part of the third meeting of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) Free Trade Commission, in Cancún, Mexico.
The Canada-U.S. trade relationship is the closest and the most integrated in the world. Minister Ng and Ambassador Tai discussed ongoing work on research and development partnerships, and ways to strengthen Canada-U.S. supply chain security and resilience.
Minister Ng reaffirmed Canada's strong commitment to a rules-based international order and Canada's leadership through the Ottawa Group at the WTO. Minister Ng and Ambassador Tai also discussed areas of cooperation to advance mutual trade priorities, including those related to the use of economic coercion and other unfair trading practices, as well as WTO reform, including dispute settlement. Minister Ng urged Ambassador Tai to implement the OECD global tax arrangement.
They discussed areas of shared priorities in the Indo-Pacific and Canada's future participation in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework.
Minister Ng also raised issues of concern to Canada and Canadian workers that undermine the integrated nature of the Canada-US economy. This includes U.S. duties on Canadian softwood lumber and the implementation of the CUSMA dispute panel ruling on automobile rules of origin. The Minister and Ambassador discussed shared concerns regarding reforms in Mexico's energy sector and their approach to biotechnology.
Minister Ng raised concerns on protectionist measures that threaten cross border collaboration between the United States and Canada that undermines commitments made by Leaders. Minister Ng reaffirmed that Canada will always defend the interests of Canadian workers and continue to support them.
