OTTAWA, Oct 28 (Reuters) – There has been limited progress in trade talks with the United States, a Canadian government official with knowledge of the discussions said on Wednesday.
Reuters reported on Monday that the two countries were working on a deal to ease US tariffs on Canadian steel and autos.
US President Donald Trump’s Republican Party risks losing control of Congress in next week’s midterm elections and tariffs on Canadian imports have become a political liability for Trump, with Republican candidates in border states calling for an end to the trade war with Canada.
The latest talks have focused on tariffs imposed under Section 232 of US trade law, including up to a 50% tariff on Canadian steel and a 25% tariff on autos. The US Commerce Department, which administers the Section 232 tariffs, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump on Sunday predicted the trade dispute would be resolved “soon,” without providing specifics. Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Monday there had been “a slight intensification” in talks.
(Reporting by Promit Mukherjee; Writing by Caroline StaufferEditing by Tomasz Janowski)
