Trump notifies Congress of U.S. trade deal with Mexico and Canada, if it’s willing

U.S. president Donald Trump has notified Congress that his administration intends to sign a trade agreement in 90 days with Mexico and Canada – if Ottawa decides to join in.

The message was sent after NAFTA talks with Ottawa failed to produce a deal before Trump’s Friday deadline.

Canadian and American negotiators will return to the bargaining table next Wednesday after a week of talks produced few signs the sides would budge on their most stubborn NAFTA positions.

“Today the president notified the Congress of his intent to sign a trade agreement with Mexico – and Canada, if it is willing – 90 days from now,” U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said in a statement Friday.

“We have also been negotiating with Canada throughout this year-long process. This week those meetings continued at all levels. The talks were constructive, and we made progress. Our officials are continuing to work toward agreement.”

Throughout the day Friday, it became increasingly clear that Canada and the U.S. would be unable to reach an agreement. Dispute settlement, Canada’s cultural exemption and access to Canada’s dairy market remain obstacles to a deal.

Lighthizer’s office accused Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland, left, walks to a car during a break in trade talk negotiations from the Office of the United States Trade Representative on Thursday in Washington. At right is David MacNaughton, Canada’s Ambassador to the United States.

Canada of making no compromises on dairy-market access.

Similarly, Canadian officials told The Canadian Press early on Friday that expectations a NAFTA deal is imminent were exaggerated and premature.

Friday’s talks were coloured by Trump’s blunt assessment of the negotiations – spoken in confidence but leaked to the media – that landed with a thud on the negotiating table.

Trump, in a conversation Thursday with Bloomberg News, gave a dismissive off-the-record assessment of the Canadian position on major NAFTA sticking points that was leaked to the Toronto Star newspaper.

“If I say no – the answer’s no. If I say no, then you’re going to put that, and it’s going to be so

insulting they’re not going to be able to make a deal ... I can’t kill these people,” Trump said of the Canadian government, according to the Star report, which cited an anonymous source.

Any deal with Canada would be “totally on our terms,” Trump was quoted by the Star as saying.

Trump confirmed the authenticity of the remarks in an afternoon tweet.

“Wow, I made OFF THE RECORD COMMENTS to Bloomberg concerning Canada, and this powerful understanding was BLATANTLY VIOLATED,” Trump wrote.

“Oh well, just more dishonest reporting. I am used to it. At least Canada knows where I stand!”

As word of Trump’s off-the-record remarks rippled through the media corps gathered outside the offices of the U.S. trade representative on Friday morning, a stoic Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland maintained her diplomatic countenance, saying only that both the Canadian negotiating team and USTR officials were working hard to reach an agreement.

“We’re not there yet,” she cautioned.

Asked directly about Trump’s remarks and whether the Americans are bargaining in good faith, Freeland walked a diplomatic tightrope.

“Ambassador Lighthizer and his team, throughout this negotiation, have been working really, really hard,” Freeland said.

“Our starting positions at the beginning were very far apart. I think, at this point, we know what each side needs and we’re working hard to find a way. My job is to find the deal that works for Canada.”

Trump, according to the Star report, also said he frequently reminds Canada that if necessary he will slap painful tariffs on auto imports. Such a move, experts warn, would inflict heavy damage on the countries’ deeply integrated auto sector.

“Off the record, Canada’s working their ass off. And every time we have a problem with a point, I just put up a picture of a Chevrolet Impala,” Trump said, according to the article.

The Impala is manufactured at the General Motors plant in Oshawa, Ont.