'We have more work to do', says Canada negotiator as US trade deadline looms

Canada's trade minister, Dominic LeBlanc, stated that more work remains to be done as they prepare for a midnight deadline to finalize a trade agreement with the United States. Speaking to reporters in Washington, LeBlanc said their job is not finished, and they will continue working until the very last minute. Negotiators have until Friday night to finalize the details of the deal or risk facing additional US tariffs on various Canadian goods.

LeBlanc spent over eight hours in meetings with US trade representative Jamie Raskin and other negotiators as the talks approached the wire. President Donald Trump paused new tariffs on Canada for three days, expressing optimism that a deal was close. Details leaked to media suggested that the US would reduce tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum from 50% to 25%, and on Canadian automobiles from 25% to 15%.

In exchange, Canada is reportedly willing to allow greater access for American dairy producers and remove retaliatory tariffs on US goods. However, opposition leader Pierre Poilievre criticized the deal for including one-sided tariffs on Canadian industries, while Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew urged his country to hold out for better terms.

Quebec Premier Christine Frechette said she was analyzing the potential impact on Quebec's dairy farmers before deciding on restoring US alcohol sales. The full framework of the deal has not been made public, but fears of job losses and economic de-industrialization in Canada have been raised by some stakeholders, with estimates suggesting up to 90,000 jobs could be lost if new tariffs were implemented.