(Nov 2) : President Donald Trump said a US-Canada trade deal is “very close” after talks with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who said both sides would work on a “mutually beneficial” outcome in the weeks ahead. 

“We have the concept of a very good deal with Canada,” Trump told reporters, repeating his contention that the US has been “losing money for many years” in trade with its northern neighbor. 

With Republican control of Congress at risk in US midterm elections on Tuesday, Trump and Carney offered the most upbeat outlook on trade talks since they collapsed acrimoniously in August. 

Carney, in a social post earlier Sunday, said he spoke with Trump, building on “recent constructive discussions” on the outlines of a deal that would create jobs, boost affordability for families and “fully respect Canada’s languages, culture and sovereignty.”

“Our teams will now be working in the coming weeks to deliver that outcome,” Carney said.

Trump’s tariff policies have spurred Carney to reduce Canadian dependence on trade with the US. Last week, he hosted top European Union officials in Montreal as part of the effort to deepen ties with non-US trade partners.  

After the EU meeting, Carney hinted in a Politico interview that the outcome of the US midterms wouldn’t have much of an impact on shifting Trump’s policy stance. Canada won’t rush into a trade agreement with the US if the terms aren’t in Canada’s best interest, he said.

“I spoke with the prime minister the other day,” Trump said Sunday, referring to Carney. “I spoke to him again yesterday, and we have the concept of a deal that’s going to be great for our farmers, great for our country, and it will be fine for Canada.” 

US-Canada trade talks collapsed in August when Carney’s envoy walked away from the deal, in part over a dispute about whether to extend proposed US tariff relief to medium and heavy-duty vehicles that Canada was seeking. 

Canada also accused the US of seeking to curtail the use of French, one of Canada’s two official languages. The US has denied that.

uploaded by Isabelle Francis