NAFTA Deal By Friday Maybe, Says Canadian PM

NAFTA Deal By Friday Maybe, Says Canadian PM

NAFTA Deal By Friday Maybe, Says Canadian PM

Just think about all of the wailing and gnashing of teeth we have had about tariffs. The pulling of many forelocks has accompanied President Donald Trump’s desire to renegotiate some of the truly heinous trade agreements made in the past. The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has been a disaster since December 8, 1993. Donald Trump is dumping NAFTA and our “partners” are falling in line.

On August 27, in the Oval Office, Trump conducted a phone call with outgoing Mexican President Enrique Nieto. The phone call started off quite awkwardly. Helloo? Hellooo? Once the technical difficulties were worked out, it was a perfection of political theater. Trump and Nieto had a total brofest. Complete with promises of a hug from Nieto. The two men congratulated anyone who even brought coffee to the negotiations. Then Donald Trump announced the end of NAFTA. From the White House.gov transcript:

A lot of people thought we’d never get here because we all negotiate tough. We do, and so does Mexico. And this is a tremendous thing.

This has to do — they used to call it NAFTA. We’re going to call it the United States-Mexico Trade Agreement, and we’ll get rid of the name NAFTA. It has a bad connotation because the United States was hurt very badly by NAFTA for many years. And now it’s a really good deal for both countries, and we look very much forward to it.

The United States-Mexico Trade Agreement increases Mexican auto workers salaries which, theoretically, would incentivize automakers to make more cars within our borders. Also, the Financial Post reported:

t would require that 75 per cent of autos contain parts made in North America, up from 62.5 per cent now required by NAFTA. And 70 per cent of the steel, aluminum and glass used to make a vehicle must also originate in North America. These requirements could possibly lead to fewer imports from Asia, Europe and South America.

That doesn’t sound like much, but it’s YUGE!

But, but what about our friendly neighbors to the North, Canada? They have been screwing us royally for years. To be specific, they have screwed our dairy farmers. Canada imposes a 270% (!!!) tariff on U.S. dairy products. Donald Trump retaliated by imposing tariffs on Canadian aluminum. Official Washington gasped and called for its collective smelling salts. Trump is killing the dairy industry, they all cried.

Today, Canada announced that there may be a new deal on trade and tariffs by Friday. Wait, what? Today, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland announced “constructive” talks with the United States. Behold, the video evidence:

Allow me to translate that diplomatic talk for you. “We got left out of the party. We didn’t take Donald Trump seriously. Mexico went in and got a better deal. Now, we are hoping that we don’t get the fuzzy end of the lollipop.” No, really, that is what she said.

“The Washington Post” reported:

Now, Canadians worried that their government has been sidelined in crucial trade talks and may be forced to back down on important economic issues, having been outmaneuvered by President Trump and possibly sold out by an erstwhile Mexican ally.

Several rounds of tense discussions about the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) culminated Monday in a trade pact that excluded Canada, prompting Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland to cut short a trip to Europe and dash to Washington for the first trilateral trade talks with the United States and Mexico in five weeks.

Just what is the Canadian press saying about Trudeau and NAFTA? Trudeau’s supply management of the dairy industry is not popular in Canada. “CTVnews” filed this report:

A concession on dairy — which is explosive politically in Canada — is one of the few cards the Trudeau government has left to play at the bargaining table after the U.S. and Mexico reached their own side deal on Monday.

Experts say Trump has not specifically set his sights on dismantling supply management, and is more angered with a new classification of milk products that Canada introduced two years ago that he says has undercut U.S. exports and hurt his country’s farmers.

I do not foresee a brofest phone call and offers of hugs once Canada makes the best deal it can. Trudeau will be butthurt and pouting.

I blame Canada. Sorry. It just had to be said.

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