U.S. trade czar: Don't get 'too comfortable' North American trade pact will stay as is

Don't get too comfortable with the North American trade pact: that's the warning from President Joe Biden's top trade official as countries prepare to review the deal.

Katherine Tai made the comments as the agreement between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, known in the U.S. as USMCA, passed the halfway point toward the six-year mark where countries will start discussing its renewal.

The agreement includes what's referred to sometimes as a sunset clause: Once the renewal process starts, countries have a decade to agree to new terms – or else the pact disappears.

The U.S. ambassador to Canada has already told CBC News that officials in his country have begun discussing their priorities for renewal talks starting in 2026...

This was excerpted from the 6 March 2024 edition of CBC News.