Canada pushes to finalize interim trade deal before Aug. 19 tariffs

Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc and chief negotiator Janice Charette are in Washington meeting U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. They aim to settle an interim deal before Aug. 19, when 50-per-cent U.S. tariffs hit roughly US$20-billion in Canadian goods — alcohol, dairy, electronics. Sources say a framework is emerging, but nothing is agreed and President Trump has not signed off.