United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer says either there needs to be a deal on the North American Free Trade Agreement this month or it will be put over until November.
And he said the 25 per cent tariff on steel and aluminum announced by U.S. President Donald Trump could be part of the negotiations.
Trump had set a deadline of May 1 for imposing the tariffs on Canada and Mexico if a NAFTA deal was not reached by then, but at the last minute extended the deadline to June 1.
There are news media reports that negotiators are close to a deal, but that terms relating to the auto industry remain under intense discussions.
Supply management for Canada’s poultry and dairy industries is also an issue, but there have been hardly any leaks to reporters about where that hot-button issue stands, particularly whether Canadian negotiators have offered any concessions or the U.S. has reduced its demand that supply management be scrapped.
