NAFTA process looks to be moving ahead after trade rep hired

Canada ready to talk ‘meat and potatoes’ of deal now that U.S. has chief negotiator

The U.S. government might finally decide what it wants from North American free trade talks now that it has appointed a chief negotiator, a Canadian manufacturing official says.

“Canada has been trying to tell what the U.S. wants,” Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters president Dennis Darby said Wednesday in Edmonton, where he was taking part in the organization’s quarterly board meeting.

“You can’t really tell to this date because the administration tends not to be consistent necessarily.”

Robert Lighthizer was sworn in this week as President Donald Trump’s trade representative.

He’s holding meetings with members of key Congressional panels required before he can formally launch bargaining over the future of the North American Free Trade Agreement.

It’s good news that someone has finally filled this post so the process can move ahead, Darby said.

“The hard work will begin and the U.S. will be the one that will begin the renegotiations … (now) we’re not negotiating with ourselves in the media. At least now we will get down to talking about the actual meat and potatoes.”

Although Trump has called for major changes to an agreement he argues hurts the U.S. economy, Darby said Canada and Mexico have their own agendas.

Canadian manufacturers would like product content regulations re-examined and new rules to make it easier for goods and people to cross the border, he said.

American and Canadian companies have become highly integrated after almost 30 years of free trade, so increasing restrictions will damage both countries, he said.

“We’re hopeful at the end of the day the businesses that operate on both sides of the border will bring that perspective. Is it going to be tough? Yes, it’s going to be tough.”

Darby’s group met with Finance Minister Joe Ceci to reiterate the importance of industry in Canada’s third-biggest manufacturing province.

They want governments across the country to introduce a separate tax rate for manufacturers and processors, funding to help companies reduce greenhouse gas emissions and preferred access to contracts for local firms.

Ceci agreed to work with the organization on ways of making manufacturing more competitive, Darby said.

“We think these are good investments, especially if we’re going to compete with the U.S. We have to ensure our industry is in the best position possible.”