Negotiators from the U.S. and Canada are hoping to reach a deal on the ongoing North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) talks currently underway this week in Washington. According to Reuters, while delegates from both countries worked to advance the talks further on Thursday, several crucial items remain to be settled.
“We are making good progress,” said Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, Canada’s chief negotiator for the NAFTA talks while speaking to reporters on Thursday evening. The Foreign Minister described the trade meetings as “constructive and productive.”
One of the major issues still to be resolved is the question of dairy quotas. President Trump has stated before that Canada’s dairy quota, in essence, cripples U.S dairy farmer’s ability to export north.
Farmers have been on a downward trend for 15 years. The price of soybeans has fallen 50% since 5 years before the Election. A big reason is bad (terrible) Trade Deals with other countries. They put on massive Tariffs and Barriers. Canada charges 275% on Dairy. Farmers will WIN!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 20, 2018
Another unresolved issue still being worked out is Chapter 19, which is the means by which the two countries settle trade differences. According to Reuters, Canada has used the “Chapter 19 arbitration panels” in the past to protect its lumber exports into the U.S., which in turn argues that the process is unfair.
According to the Toronto Star, Chapter 19 is Canada’s “crown jewel” of the agreement. However, dairy products and Chapter 19 are not the only issues yet to settled. Canadian cultural rights regarding media and steel tariffs are also still on the table.
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