Canada and US trade officials preparing deal proposal for Trump next week

Canadian Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer are drafting a joint trade proposal to present to U.S. President Donald Trump ahead of an August 19, 2026 deadline. The deadline threatens 50 percent tariffs on five percent of Canadian exports, spanning alcohol, hockey sticks, and cement. Canada seeks relief from sectoral tariffs and an extension of the CUSMA pact, while facing domestic pressure from Conservatives demanding that Prime Minister Mark Carney secure a strong deal.

Canada-U.S. trade deal proposal

• ▪Canada's chief trade negotiator, Janice Charette, met with officials from the Office of the United States Trade Representative in Washington, D.C. on August 10, 2026.
• ▪Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer are preparing a joint trade proposal to present to U.S. President Donald Trump as early as August 17, 2026.
• ▪Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc met with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Washington, D.C. on August 11, 2026, marking their third face-to-face meeting in three weeks.

August 19 tariff deadline

• ▪The scheduled August 19, 2026 U.S. tariffs cover approximately five percent of Canadian exports, targeting goods ranging from alcohol to hockey sticks to cement.
• ▪New 50 percent U.S. tariffs on hundreds of Canadian imports are scheduled to take effect on August 19, 2026.

Provincial alcohol bans impact

• ▪The United States cited Canadian trade irritants when announcing the August 19, 2026 tariffs, including Canada's removal of U.S. alcohol from provincial store shelves and alleged discrimination against U.S. motor vehicles and dairy.
• ▪U.S. Census Bureau figures show that provincial bans on U.S. alcohol, excluding Alberta and Saskatchewan, resulted in a $360 million US drop in wine exports and a $150 million US drop in spirit exports to Canada in 2025.

Conservative pressure on Carney

• ▪Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre wrote to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney demanding a trade deal that includes zero tariffs on softwood lumber, an end to steel and aluminum tariffs, a tariff-free auto pact, and a Buy America exemption.
• ▪Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner criticized Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on August 11, 2026, for failing to secure a trade agreement with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump after more than a year in office.

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