WASHINGTON—Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland says she used a North American Free Trade Agreement negotiating meeting with her American counterpart on Wednesday to raise “concerns” from Canadian companies about U.S. automotive proposals. Freeland declined to speak in detail about those concerns. But she said she wants to avoid a new agreement that burdens Canadian companies with “red tape” that would make them less competitive than international rivals. The automotive issue has occupied by far the biggest share of the recent meetings between Freeland, Lighthizer and Mexican Economy Secretary Ildefonso Guajardo. To make a deal, they must resolve that issue and then rapidly resolve several other delicate matters unrelated to the auto industry.

Source: thestar May 09, 2018 22:41 UTC