Former U.S. president Donald ‍Trump announced on Friday, ‌November 17, 2023, that he had temporarily suspended ⁤trade talks with Canada‌ following‍ critical remarks made by Canadian Minister of International Trade Mary Ng⁣ regarding U.S.tariffs. Ng had publicly ‍criticized the tariffs in an advertisement.

⁤ According to a report by RT, Trump ​stated that Ng had contacted him ‌to apologize, describing the conversation‌ as “very​ nice,” but confirmed the talks remained on hold. He also defended his administration’s use of tariffs, referencing‌ Ronald Reagan’s support for them. RT reported on these developments.

​Ng’s comments followed the Asia-Pacific‌ Economic Cooperation⁣ (APEC) summit held earlier that week ⁣in Busan, South ⁢Korea, where ​both leaders were ⁤in⁤ attendance.

Background: U.S.-Canada Trade Relationship

⁣ The trade relationship between the ⁤United States and Canada is one of the largest in the world. In 2022, total⁢ trade in goods and services between the two countries exceeded $794.5 billion USD. The U.S. Trade Representative provides detailed information on‌ the U.S.-Canada trade relationship. The⁣ United States-mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which replaced NAFTA in⁣ 2020, governs ⁢much of this‍ trade.

​ ‍ Tariffs have been a ‍recurring point of contention. Trump’s administration ​imposed tariffs on⁣ steel ‍and aluminum imports from Canada in 2018, ⁤citing ‍national ‍security concerns. These tariffs ‍were eventually lifted in 2019 as part of the USMCA ‍agreement.
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The APEC‍ summit in South​ Korea

⁢ ‌ ⁣ The 2023 APEC summit,⁣ held in Busan, South Korea, ⁤from November‍ 15-17, focused on building resilient supply chains, promoting digital transformation, and fostering sustainable⁣ growth.The official APEC website⁣ provides details about the summit. The summit brought together leaders from 21 member‍ economies representing approximately 40% of the world’s ⁤population.
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