Phoenix – Mary Ng, Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development, met with Ambassador Katherine Tai, United States Trade Representative, at the fourth Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) Free Trade Commission meeting, hosted by the United States in Phoenix, Arizona.
During their meeting, Minister Ng emphasized the need for the 3 countries to continue working together to successfully implement CUSMA in support of North America’s economic security and global competitiveness. She also highlighted CUSMA’s key role in strengthening supply chains across sectors, such as for electric vehicle manufacturing and critical minerals.
The Minister discussed outstanding bilateral trade issues between Canada and the United States, including the timely formation of CUSMA dispute panels for softwood lumber cases. They discussed guidance from the U.S. presidential administration on implementation of the United States’ Build America, Buy America Act and CUSMA rules of origin for automobiles.
Minister Ng emphasized the significance of the Line 5 energy pipeline for energy trade between, and the security of, Canada and the United States. She provided an update on work underway by Canada to provide greater transparency and predictability in the trade and investment environment for the North American steel and aluminum sectors.
The Minister added that she looks forward to Canada’s hosting of the fifth Free Trade Commission meeting in 2025.