Christia Freeland and Robert Lighthizer are in Mexico huddling with officials there to nail down final details for a new trade agreement among Mexico, Canada and the United States.
While Freeland is no longer Global Affairs minister, as deputy prime minister she has retained responsibility for finalizing the trade deal with Mexico and the U.S.
Lighthizer is the U.S. Trade Representative responsible for negotiating deals.
What needs to be finished are details that will satisfy labour and environmental concerns raised by Democratic party officials in the U.S. who control votes necessary to move the deal to finalization.
Canada has been waiting for ratification in the United States before it moves to ratification in the House of Commons. The Mexicans have already ratified the earlier-negotiated deal.
