N.B. premier remains hopeful for tariff-free U.S. trade deal ahead of PM's update

CTV News

4 days ago

The Maritime premiers joined their counterparts in Ontario to discuss inter-provincial trades and the U.S.
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Prime Minister Mark Carney will brief Canada's premiers on the status of United States trade negotiations Tuesday, as the Aug. 1 threat of a 35 per cent tariff on Canadian goods approaches.
The prime minister will meet with Canada's premiers in Ontario as part of the Council of Federation's three-day summer session which began Monday.
Monday was initially supposed to be the deadline for a Canada-U.S. trade agreement, set during June's G7 Leaders' Summit. A revised Aug. 1 deadline was announced on July 10.
New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt said she remained optimistic about the possibility of a tariff-free trade deal. Last week, Carney said most countries would likely have to accept some baseline tariff rate on goods from the Trump administration.
'I'm hoping we can all contribute to the path forward that means the least tariffs, ideally no tariffs, as quickly as possible,' said Holt in an interview Monday, prior to entering the meeting. 'Those tariffs on steel and aluminum, on (automobiles), they're hurting all of us, even in New Brunswick.'
U.S. and interprovincial trade are amongst the meeting's agenda items. Holt signed a memorandum of understanding on free trade and labour mobility with Manitoba on Monday, following similar agreements earlier this year with Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador.