Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that Canada’s internal review for the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Free Trade Agreement (CUSMA) has been completed. During a media briefing, he highlighted the productive discussions held with U.S. President Donald Trump regarding the future of CUSMA.
Completion of CUSMA Review Process
Carney emphasized that while Canada’s review process is finished, the United States and Mexico are currently working on their evaluations. He stated, “There’s a lot of work to be done for the review of CUSMA. That work has started with reviews in the United States and Mexico.”
Next Steps for Trade Discussions
Carney indicated that Canada is prepared to engage in discussions with both the U.S. and Mexico in the near future. He mentioned that the process for this year’s scheduled review officially began in September 2025. In December, his office announced plans for formal trade discussions to commence in January 2026.
- Key Dates:
- September 2025: Review process for CUSMA officially begins.
- January 2026: Formal trade discussions with the U.S. are scheduled to start.
- Mid-January 2026: Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc will meet with U.S. counterparts.
Impact of U.S. Tariffs
The discussions come in light of ongoing U.S. tariffs affecting the Canadian economy, particularly in sectors like steel, aluminum, autos, and lumber. Recently, Trump threatened a significant tariff increase on Canadian goods in response to a new trade agreement between Canada and China concerning canola and electric vehicles.
LeBlanc responded to these threats by clarifying that Canada is not pursuing a free trade deal with China. As Canada moves forward, the completion of the internal review marks an important milestone in the CUSMA negotiation process.
