U.S. officials urge tough approach on Canada

WASHINGTON In a possible preview of upcoming NAFTA negotiations, Donald Trump’s pick as trade czar was urged to get tough with Canada on multiple fronts including lumber, dairy, and intellectual property, during a hearing in the U.S. Congress on Tuesday.

Robert Lighthizer, the nominated trade representative, was having his long-awaited confirmation hearing in the U.S. Senate and a number of the first lawmakers to question him offered pointed queries demanding action regarding the northern neighbour.

The exchanges were notable as a public conversation between actors involved in renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement: U.S. law says the U.S. trade representative must consult the Senate finance committee before, during, and after trade negotiations. They were all there Tuesday. The Republican chair of the committee, Orrin Hatch, got it started by urging the trade nominee to get more aggressive in screening cargo from Canada for counterfeit or pirated products. He was followed by the committee’s top Democrat, Ron Wyden, who urged a similarly tough approach on softwood lumber. Wyden says he was disappointed Trump didn’t raise it in his meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau — and regretted that Trump spoke only of minor tweaks to NAFTA.

Lighthizer replied there are several trade issues involving Canada.

”I’ve had a variety of issues with respect to Canada that have been raised by senators . . . . Certainly (softwood) is at the top of the list,” said Lighthizer, who is vying to become the U.S. trade representative.

Tuesday’s exchanges involved the lawmakers responsible for consulting U.S. negotiators, ensuring that negotiators get a deal that has the necessary support to win a later ratification vote in Congress.

The U.S. trade representative would need to start consulting lawmakers at least 90 days before negotiations begin, meaning that if the White House launched the NAFTA process this month, it would conduct consultations through the spring, before negotiations started in the summer or fall.

Asked whether Trump wants NAFTA to remain a three-country agreement or split into multiple bilateral deals, Lighthizer replied: ”The administration has not made a decision.” He was also non-committal on what positions he would take with respect to dairy and lumber.

But Lighthizer was adamant that he supports Trump’s more nationalist approach.