U.S. President Donald Trump is again suggesting that NAFTA be terminated, this time saying that both Canada and Mexico are being “very difficult”.
While he’s threatened to end the trade agreement before, this is the first time Trump has complained about Canada’s role in the talks.
Canada, the U.S. and Mexico began formal negotiations earlier this month to rework the 23-year-old trade deal.
When Trump previously threatened to blow up NAFTA, a representative for Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland said “heated rhetoric” is common in trade negotiations, but that Canada’s priorities remain the same.
READ: The Trump Unit: Canada’s squad to save NAFTA
Adam Austen said last week that Canada will “continue to work hard to modernize NAFTA,” in spite of the threats.
Experts of trade law say cancelling NAFTA would be complicated: it would prompt a legal showdown between the White House and Congress.
The latter once passed a law implementing NAFTA and could argue it is still on the books, meaning the agreement remains in effect.
The Canadian Press
