By Paul Vieira
OTTAWA--Canada's minister in charge of U.S.-Canada trade will head to Washington Friday for talks on the pending White House review of the existing trilateral North American trade pact.
A spokesman for Dominic LeBlanc confirmed his trip but provided no further details, such as an itinerary. LeBlanc told a Toronto audience last week that he expected to speak in the coming days with the U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
Greer has characterized initial trade talks with Canada as challenging, while framing Mexico's approach as pragmatic. Greer told Canadian media last week that the U.S. is keen to renew the trade treaty, known as USMCA, so long as Canada is prepared to accept higher tariffs on its U.S. exports and increased access for U.S. dairy producers to the Canadian market.
A USTR report this week identified Canada's rules limiting foreign dairy products, and Ottawa's treatment of U.S. digital and streaming platforms as notable irritants in the trading relationship. Trade analysts expect the Trump administration to press Canada for further concessions to keep USMCA in place.
The majority of Canada's exports have entered the U.S. duty free due to an exemption available under USMCA. That exemption will still apply under President Trump's new global tariff of up to 15%.
The Bank of Canada has identified the USMCA review as a key economic risk, signaling that the rate outlook hinges on how talks proceed between the three North American countries.
Write to Paul Vieira at paul.vieira@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
March 05, 2026 11:47 ET (16:47 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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