White House Economic Trade Adviser Kevin Hassett says the U.S. is getting very close to having to move forward on its trade deal with Mexico without Canada under NAFTA.
The deadline to publish the text of an agreement to update the North American Free Trade Agreement is October first.
As the deadline approaches, Hassett says the U.S. and Canada haven’t agreed to a deal.
“We’re still talking to Canada,” Hassett says, “but we’re getting very, very close to the deadline where we’re going to have to move ahead with Mexico all by itself.”
Hassett, who chairs the White House Council of Economic Advisers, says he’s surprised that Canada hasn’t signed an agreement yet.
“I worry that politics is trumping common sense because there’s a very good deal in place that was designed by both Mexico and the U.S. to appeal to Canada,” he says.
“They’re not signing on to the deal and its got everyone puzzled.”
Chrystia Freeland, Canada’s Foreign Minister, left Washington last Thursday with no deal in place.
