OTTAWA HOPING FOR BEST, BRACING FOR WORST AMID REPORTS U.S. MAY PULL OUT OF NAFTA
Jan 11, 2018
By Bob Komsic
Share on
The Trudeau government’s point person on North American Free Trade Agreement renegotiations is still holding out hope the talks can end up a win-win-win for Canada, the U.S. and Mexico.
However, Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland is realistic given U.S. President Donald Trump’s threatened to pull out of the trade deal even before talks began.
(Geoff Robins / Canadian Press)
”Our approach from the start has been to hope for the best but prepare for the worst. So Canada is prepared for every eventuality,” said Freeland, in London, where cabinet ministers are holding a two-day winter retreat.
The foreign affairs minister adds Canada will enter the sixth round of NAFTA talks, to be held in Montreal January 23 to 28, with a spirit of goodwill and that officials are developing new, creative ideas to respond to ”unconventional” proposals from Washington.
Freeland says it’s ”absolutely possible” to have a positive outcome.