Canada must join the new trade agreement President Donald Trump has negotiated with Mexico to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) or face retaliatory action from the US Congress, Congressman Steve Scalise said on Tuesday.
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 19th September, 2018) Canada must join the new trade agreement President Donald Trump has negotiated with Mexico to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) or face retaliatory action from the US Congress, Congressman Steve Scalise said on Tuesday.
"Mexico negotiated in good faith and in a timely manner, and if Canada does not cooperate in the negotiations, Congress will have no choice but to consider options about how best to move forward and stand up for American workers," Scalise said in a press release.
Now that the Trump administration has completed a new trade deal with Mexico, and is continuing negotiations on a better agreement with Canada, there is growing frustration with many in Congress regarding Canada's negotiating tactics, Scalise said in the release.
"Members [of Congress] are concerned that Canada does not seem to be ready or willing to make the concessions that are necessary ... While we would all like to see Canada remain part of this three-country coalition, there is not an unlimited amount of time for it to be part of this new agreement," he said.
Congress takes seriously and intends to fully enforce the deadlines established in the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act (TPA), Scalise added.
Canada, Mexico and the United States have been engaged in talks to modernize NAFTA for over a year at US Trump's initiative. In August, Trump announced that the United States and Mexico had reached a preliminary agreement in principle. However, Trump has said that if Canada is not willing to make a fair deal, the country will not be allowed to join this preliminary agreement.
