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WASHINGTON \u2014 United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told Canadians looking for insights into the future of bilateral trade this week that \u201cAmerica First\u201d is policy, not a slogan, and they should not expect a return to the way things were.<\/p>\n
Sources who attended a roundtable with U.S. President Donald Trump\u2019s trade czar in Washington on Wednesday told The Canadian Press that Greer was measured and pragmatic as he laid out the administration\u2019s policy goals ahead of the coming review of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico-Agreement on trade, better known as CUSMA.<\/p>\n
About 40 people attended the event hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Canada, including Conservative MPs Jamil Jivani, Michael Chong and Shuv Majumdar. Also in the room were multiple executives from oil and gas companies.<\/p>\n
Canada\u2019s Ambassador to the U.S. Mark Wiseman sat two seats away from Greer during the meeting. Alberta\u2019s Washington trade representative Nathan Cooper and Manitoba\u2019s trade representative Richard Madan were also in attendance.<\/p>\n
The meeting lasted more than an hour and the sources, who were not authorized to speak publicly about what was said, said Greer told attendees the Trump administration is not looking to disrupt the energy relationship between the two countries.<\/p>\n
Greer said the United States is looking to work with Canada on energy and critical minerals development in ways that would be mutually beneficial to both countries, the sources said.<\/p>\n
One source said Greer cautioned that Canada should not attempt to use those resources as leverage in negotiations on the trilateral trade pact.<\/p>\n
Another source said Greer did not appear to be sending a warning. The source said Greer argued that if Canada is making the case for energy collaboration, it shouldn\u2019t come with the condition of U.S. concessions.<\/p>\n
The continental trade pact is up for a mandatory review this year. It sets up a three-way choice for each country to make in July.<\/p>\n
They can renew the deal for another 16 years, withdraw from it or signal both non-renewal and non-withdrawal \u2014 which would trigger an annual review that could keep negotiations going for up to a decade.<\/p>\n
Greer has said it\u2019s unlikely the United States will rubber-stamp the deal in July, indicating longer negotiations are on the way.<\/p>\n
Greer was in Mexico last week and the first official CUSMA bilateral negotiating round between Mexican and American officials will take place next month.<\/p>\n
Ottawa still has not started formal trade negotiations with the United States. In an appearance before a House of Commons committee last week, Wiseman was grilled over whether the federal government was deliberately slow-walking the talks.<\/p>\n
\u201cCanada is ready and willing to commence any type of review process with the United States and also with Mexico,\u201d Wiseman said on April 23. \u201cWe are ready to do that and are prepared to do so.\u201d<\/p>\n
At the Wednesday meeting in Washington, sources said Greer told attendees that Canada has been difficult to deal with.<\/p>\n
The trade czar said Canada is committed to its green energy transition \u2014 pointing to electrification and electric vehicles \u2014 and said that doesn\u2019t align with U.S. policy.<\/p>\n
Greer recently made similar comments on Capitol Hill when he told American lawmakers that Canada was \u201cdoubling down on globalization when we\u2019re trying to correct for the problems of globalization.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo those are two models that don\u2019t fit together very well,\u201d Greer said.<\/p>\n
Greer opened Wednesday\u2019s meeting by providing a brief overview of the Trump administration\u2019s objectives in trade. He said CUSMA puts Canada and Mexico in the best situation in the world when it comes to trade with the United States.<\/p>\n
After his remarks, sources said, Greer largely spent his time listening to presentations from the oil and gas companies in attendance.<\/p>\n
Negotiations between Canada and the United States were frozen last October when Trump was angered by an Ontario-sponsored ad quoting former president Ronald Reagan criticizing tariffs.<\/p>\n
Relations have thawed since and Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc met with Greer in Washington last month.<\/p>\n
While Greer has complained publicly about Canada, sources said behind closed doors he is funny and respectful. Sources said it was helpful for Canadian companies to hear the U.S. perspective and Greer appeared willing to work with Canada.<\/p>\n
Greer also maintained that the Trump administration\u2019s objective is to reduce Canada\u2019s trade deficit with the U.S, sources said. Canada\u2019s trade deficit is linked to U.S. purchases of oil and energy.<\/p>\n
\u00a92026 The Canadian Press<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n