NAFTA negotiations accelerate the United States and Canada near a decisive moment

SMM8, 31 March: Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said the United States and Canada are preparing to make decisions on key issues in an effort to reach a deal to update the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). As the two countries move closer to the Friday deadline set by the United States, the tone is becoming more and more optimistic. U.S. president Donald Trump plans to inform Congress on Friday that he will sign an agreement to replace the 24-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement. "this is a very intensive conversation," Freeland told reporters earlier Thursday. "I still feel that both the United States and Canada are in good faith." She stressed that there was still a lot of work to be done in a short period of time. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Trump both said on Wednesday that they were expected to reach a new free trade agreement. Trudeau said it was clear that Friday was the deadline for negotiations on a free trade agreement, and said Canada was also moving forward, but would only sign the "right agreement" in any case.