Trump says he'd like to speed up the start of NAFTA talks

U.S. President Donald Trump said ... he would like to quickly get started on talks on the possible replacement or renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico....

"NAFTA has been a catastrophe for our country," Trump said...

"I don't care if it's the renovation of NAFTA or a brand new NAFTA, but we do have to make it fair," he added.

Trump also indicated that Wilbur Ross, his pick to become the next commerce secretary, will lead the negotiations. Under previous administrations, the U.S. trade representative led trade negotiations, but Washington trade lawyer Robert Lighthizer, Trump's pick for that post, hasn't been confirmed yet.

Under current trade legislation, the Trump administration must provide Congress with written notice of 90 days before it begins talks with another country...

Mexican government officials have said that formal talk on a NAFTA renegotiation could not begin before the start of May, due to its consultations.

Trump has already used his executive power to pull the United States out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership...

This was excerpted from 2 February 2017 edition of CBC News.