By Canadian Press

Trudeau pushes ratification of new NAFTA despite U.S. tariff threat on Mexico

Jun 6, 2019 | 11:48 AM

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada is moving forward with ratifying the new North American trade deal despite fresh tensions between Mexico and the United States.

He says Canada is moving forward “in parallel” with U.S. efforts.

Trudeau was speaking as American and Mexican officials conducted a second day of talks Thursday in an attempt to avert a fresh round of tariffs President Donald Trump is threatening on Mexican goods.

Trump is threatening to impose a five-per-cent levy on all Mexican imports that would go into effect on Monday as part of an effort to force Mexico to stop the flow of Central American migrants to the southern border of the U.S.

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The latest tariff tussle could derail the new the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which Trump forced because he views the current NAFTA as one of the worst trade deals in his country’s history.

The new deal must be approved by the legislatures of all three countries for it to enter into force.

Trudeau says the recent lifting of U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs was the last barrier to moving forward with ratification.

He says the new trade deal will secure Canada jobs and market access to the U.S.

“The Mexican government has indicated that the tariffs or these threats of tariffs by the American administration towards them will not interfere with their ratification process, and we will take them at their word,” Trudeau told reporters on France’s Normandy coast, where he was attending D-Day commemorations.

The Canadian Press