Trump giving ‘avalanche of contradictory developments’ ahead of trade talks with Canada, Reid says

Added: 2026-06-03

[00:00:01]Canada US Trade Minister Dominic Leblanc will be in Washington today. LeBlanc turned up for cabinet this morning.

[00:00:08]Later, he's going to be meeting with US Trade Representative Jameson Greer.

[00:00:12]Official trade talks between Ottawa and Washington have yet to start ahead of a mandatory review of the North American Free Trade Agreement known as Kusma. The US and Mexico have wrapped up their first round of bilateral talks last week. Ahead of the meeting today, LeBlanc sent a letter to Greer in it. He says the growth and success brought forward by the historic trade deal is why he recommends renewing the deal for another 16 years. And he goes on to say that Canada looks forward to continued engagement with the US and Mexico on opportunities to expand the trading partnership and is willing to consider any proposal that can be beneficial to all three nations long-term prosperity.

[00:00:51]Leblon says discussions on addressing sectoral tariffs will be essential.

[00:00:56]Joining me now is CTB News political commentator and former director of communications for Paul Martin, Scott Reid. Hello there, Scott. So, what are you watching for to come from this meeting?

[00:01:06]>> Wow, some clarity. I'm not sure I'm not very certain we'll get it, but it it certainly is something that's in desperate need. I mean, we've actually seen an avalanche of contradictory developments in the past 12 hours. You know, on the one hand, you've seen President Trump lower tariffs on aluminum and steel. That should help industry here in Canada. On the other hand, you've seen Donald Trump tweeted out or too social post. Uh 51st State, again, just seems to be uh an absolutely unprovoked uh hostility toward Canada.

[00:01:40]Again, just, you know, drive by insult.

[00:01:43]Uh and then of course we have uh the letter from uh from Minister Leblon uh formally indicating that our uh recommendation is for new which we don't expect the Americans to embrace but at least puts the onus on them. So it'll be interesting to see in the blizzard of all of that uh if something specific comes out of today's meeting with respect to process timing steps anything whatsoever.

[00:02:08]>> Scott, what is the rush? Put that into perspective for us.

[00:02:13]Well, I think increasingly experts, at least on the Canadian side, are concluding that there is no rush. Uh, and that shouldn't be mistaken as complacency. Yeah, this is our important trading relationship. Uh, countless jobs and industry are at stake. Um, but we know that last week Mexico and US officials sat down. Some fredded that that put us at a disadvantage. I think increasingly we're watching the political pressure build on President Trump. Nothing much came of those talks last week. And so as he moves towards the midterms with gas and grocery prices rising, with his inability to end the war in Iran, which he himself triggered, I think the argument is let this process unfold. Nothing happens on July 1st.

[00:02:57]Free trade between our nations doesn't turn into a pumpkin at midnight. So let's continue to move forward.

[00:03:02]Hopefully there's some progress. But if anything, I think the best bet is the political pressure is building on President Trump. Today's move on deal tariffs is probably that clearest indication >> an admission correct that tariffs were punishing.

[00:03:18]>> I I think it is the move to lower these tariffs is a clear concession a clear admission on the part of the president of the United States that he is under withering domestic political pressure that he needed to do this because it will save jobs and lower prices in the United States. And that has always been the Canadian and Mexican argument that this free trade agreement between our three nations is of mutual benefit.

[00:03:46]Trump has always rejected that premise, but political realities are closing in on him and forcing his hand.

[00:03:52]>> I want to ask you about developments in Ottawa this morning. We heard from Pierre Paulv. He accused the prime minister again of hiding from the negotiating table for the last 6 months when it came to talking to the US. What do you make of his take and will it resonate with Canadians?

[00:04:10]>> I think if you are already negatively disposed toward the prime minister, then you love that talk. But if you're in the middle watching this unfold, trying to figure out this strange puzzle of trade and diplomatic relations between Canada and the United States, you just chalk up Mr. Polyv's comments as pure politics because the unstated rest of his comment is that he would what? Do better? that he would have initiated talks already and that that would be to Canada's benefit. I think increasingly Canadians worry that if we had already signed a deal, it would probably be a poor one.

[00:04:42]It would have been one that worked to Mr. Trump's advantage. And of course, for people that follow very closely, they watch and saw what happened to Europe when they rushed into a deal with Donald Trump. It wasn't worth the ink that it was written with.

[00:04:55]>> Scott Reed, we will leave it there for this morning. Good to see you. Scott is our CTV political commentator.