Canada is sending two of its most senior trade officials to Washington as the federal government attempts to prevent another expansion of U.S. tariffs.
Dominic LeBlanc, the minister responsible for Canada–U.S. trade, will travel with chief trade negotiator Janice Charette for meetings during the week. LeBlanc’s spokesperson confirmed the trip on Tuesday, July 28, but did not disclose the exact dates, the American officials involved or the negotiating agenda. it follows a July 20 decision by the Trump administration to impose additional 50% tariffs on selected Canadian products. The United States says the measures will cover nearly US$20 billion in imports and will take effect 30 days after the presidential proclamations were signed, placing their scheduled implementation on August 19. ducts identified by the U.S. government include goods ranging from wine and dairy products to cement and hockey equipment. The duties are intended to apply even when the affected goods otherwise meet CUSMA origin requirements. Energy, potash, fish, critical minerals and goods already covered by certain national-security tariffs are among the listed exclusions. ouncement of the Canadian visit coincided with comments from U.S. President Donald Trump stating that he did not consider renewal of CUSMA important to the United States. Trump argued that Canada and Mexico required the agreement more than the United States did. Is Confirmed
It is confirmed that LeBlanc and Charette are expected to travel to Washington and that Canadian and American officials are continuing high-level discussions.
It is also confirmed that the United States declined on July 1 to grant CUSMA a new 16-year term. That decision did not immediately terminate the agreement. Instead, CUSMA remains in force and is subject to annual reviews during a 10-year period. It could expire in 2036 unless Canada, Mexico and the United States agree to extend or revise it. ted States has already imposed tariffs outside CUSMA on Canadian and Mexican vehicles and on steel and aluminum. The July 20 proclamations would expand the number of Canadian products facing elevated duties and would remove CUSMA protection from the listed goods.
The U.S. administration says its latest measures respond to Canadian policies involving dairy-market access, provincial restrictions on American alcoholic beverages and automobile imports. Those are the United States government’s stated justifications; their accuracy and legal sufficiency have not been independently established by the proclamations themselves. inister Mark Carney has said Canada will not retaliate before the tariffs take effect, describing advance retaliation as potentially counterproductive. He has nevertheless stated that Canada is prepared to respond if negotiations fail. Remains Unclear
The Canadian government has not identified whom LeBlanc and Charette will meet, how long the Washington discussions will continue or whether the meetings constitute formal CUSMA negotiations.
Reuters reported that Canada has not yet participated in the formal bilateral negotiating rounds that the United States has conducted with Mexico. Canada has instead maintained high-level contact with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and other officials. icly available negotiating text describes the changes sought by Canada. It is also unclear whether Washington is seeking one revised trilateral agreement, separate arrangements with Canada and Mexico, or narrower agreements dealing with individual industries.
The economic effect of the threatened tariffs cannot yet be measured. Estimates of affected trade differ depending on currency, tariff classifications and whether researchers count only the listed products or indirect supply-chain exposure. U.S. authorities place the affected imports at nearly US$20 billion, while an analysis cited by the Associated Press estimated approximately C$28 billion in annual Canadian exports. Wider Context
CUSMA took effect in 2020 as the replacement for the North American Free Trade Agreement. It preserved largely duty-free continental trade while adding new rules for automobiles, labour standards, digital commerce and dispute settlement.
The agreement included a scheduled six-year review. If all three countries agreed to renew it, its term would have been extended for another 16 years. The United States declined that extension on July 1, beginning annual reviews and creating a possible 2036 expiry date. eement supports an extensively integrated economy. Reuters placed annual trilateral trade at approximately US$1.6 trillion. Canadian, American and Mexican factories frequently exchange components several times before a finished vehicle, machine or consumer product reaches the market. est tariff dispute also extends beyond CUSMA. The U.S. administration relied on Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930, a provision allowing duties of up to 50% when the president determines that another country has discriminated against American commerce. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative described the July action as the use of that authority against Canada. ustrial unions representing workers in both countries—the United Steelworkers and the International Association of Machinists—called on Washington Tuesday to reconsider the tariffs and pursue a more co-operative approach. Their intervention indicates that opposition to the measures is not confined to the Canadian government. Happens Next
LeBlanc and Charette are expected in Washington later this week. The date and format of their meetings had not been publicly confirmed by the 9:00 PM reporting cutoff.
The next fixed deadline is August 19, when the new 50% duties are scheduled to take effect. The United States could implement, change, postpone or withdraw the measures before then.
Canada could also announce retaliatory tariffs, procurement restrictions, industry assistance or other countermeasures if the duties proceed. No final Canadian response had been announced by the cutoff.
Beyond the immediate tariff deadline, annual CUSMA reviews will continue unless the three governments agree on an extension or replacement arrangement.
How Signal Interpreted the Information
I compared the July 28 reporting from Reuters and The Canadian Press with earlier Associated Press reporting and primary documents from the White House and the Office of the United States Trade Representative.
The available sources consistently agree that LeBlanc and Charette will travel to Washington, that the new tariffs are scheduled for August 19 and that the Canadian government is attempting to negotiate before responding.
I gave greater weight to the White House and USTR documents when describing the products, legal authority and official American justification because those documents establish what the United States has formally announced. I did not treat their claims about Canadian discrimination or the economic benefits of tariffs as independently verified facts.
I gave greater weight to Reuters when describing the structure of the CUSMA review and Canada’s position in the current negotiations because its reporting compared statements from Canadian, American and Mexican officials.
The evidence is less certain regarding the content and likely outcome of the Washington meetings. No negotiating document, confirmed participant list or proposed settlement was publicly available.
This article therefore avoids concluding that an agreement is close, that the tariffs will necessarily take effect or that either country will make particular concessions. The story was selected for its potential public and economic consequences rather than as an ideological judgement about either government’s trade policy.
Signal Transparency Record
Article generated by: Artificial intelligence
Human reporting involved: Human-written reporting from Reuters, The Associated Press and The Canadian Press was consulted. Signal commissioned no human reporting.
Primary sources consulted: White House tariff fact sheet; Office of the United States Trade Representative statement and tariff background.
Secondary reporting consulted: Reuters reports dated July 1 and July 28; Associated Press reporting dated July 23; The Canadian Press reporting published July 28.
Number of substantially independent sources: Four independent source groups. The White House and USTR were counted as one institutional source group because both represent the U.S. executive branch.
Earliest source used: Reuters, “US declines to extend North American trade deal, starting clock to end it while seeking changes,” published July 1, 2026, at 3:31 PM UTC and updated July 2.
Most recently updated source: Reuters, “Trump says he does not care about USMCA as US, Canada plan trade talks,” published July 28, 2026, at 10:51 PM UTC, equivalent to 6:51 PM Toronto time.
Unverified claims excluded: Predictions about the outcome of the Washington meetings; undisclosed negotiating proposals; claims that an agreement is imminent; unsupported estimates of job losses.
Material disagreements between sources: U.S. documents describe Canadian policies as discriminatory. Canadian officials dispute the legitimacy and consistency of the resulting tariffs. The existence of the policies and tariffs is confirmed, but the legal and political characterizations remain contested.
Limitations: No meeting itinerary, participant list, negotiating text or official Canadian summary of the planned Washington discussions was available. Some government statements contain economic and employment projections that could not be independently evaluated within the reporting period.
Confidence: Moderate
The central events—the planned Washington visit, the tariff proclamations and the August 19 implementation date—are supported by official records and multiple news organizations. Confidence is not rated high because the negotiations remain developing and their agenda and likely outcome are not public.
Last checked: July 28, 2026, at 9:42 PM, America/Toronto.
Sources
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https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/trump-says-he-does-not-care-about-usmca-us-canada-plan-trade-talks-2026-07-28/ e Canadian Press, republished by 650 CKOM** — “LeBlanc heading back to Washington after Trump threatens new tariffs” — Kelly Geraldine Malone — July 28, 2026 — Secondary source.
https://www.ckom.com/2026/07/28/leblanc-heading-back-to-washington-after-trump-threatens-new-tariffs/ e White House** — “Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Imposes Additional Tariffs on Canada” — White House — July 20, 2026 — Primary source.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2026/07/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-imposes-additional-tariffs-on-canada/ fice of the United States Trade Representative** — “Ambassador Greer Issues Statement on President Trump Imposing Section 338 Tariffs on Canada” — USTR — July 20, 2026 — Primary source.
https://ustr.gov/about/policy-offices/press-office/press-releases/2026/july/ambassador-greer-issues-statement-president-trump-imposing-section-338-tariffs-canada uters** — “US declines to extend North American trade deal, starting clock to end it while seeking changes” — David Lawder — July 1, 2026; updated July 2 — Secondary source.
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/us-canada-mexico-review-trade-pact-likely-putting-it-into-limbo-trump-demands-2026-07-01/ sociated Press** — “Prime Minister Carney says Canada is ready to respond if Trump’s new tariffs go into effect” — Jim Morris — July 23, 2026 — Secondary source.
https://apnews.com/article/canada-us-trump-carney-tariffs-0591038f6084d8a4210d57bca94de8d3 migration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada** — “Canada expands online passport renewal to all eligible adults” — IRCC — July 28, 2026 — Primary source.
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2026/07/canada-expands-online-passport-renewal-to-all-eligible-adults.html obal News** — “Online passport renewals now open for Canadians ‘whenever it is convenient’” — Ariel Rabinovitch — July 28, 2026; updated July 28 — Secondary source.
https://globalnews.ca/news/11996946/online-passport-renewals-canada/ atistics Canada** — “Wildfire experiences among Indigenous Peoples” — Lori Hohban, Katharine Strong, Simon Trottier and Hugo Larocque — July 28, 2026 — Primary statistical source.
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/16-002-x/2026001/article/00002-eng.htm tatistics Canada, The Daily** — “Census of Environment: Wildfire experiences among Indigenous Peoples, 2021 to 2024” — Statistics Canada — July 28, 2026 — Primary source.
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/260728/dq260728b-eng.htm epartment of National Defence** — “Minister McGuinty brings together industry and investment leaders to accelerate Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy” — National Defence — July 28, 2026 — Primary source.
https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/news/2026/07/minister-mcguinty-brings-together-industry-and-investment-leaders-to-accelerate-canadas-defence-industrial-strategy.html anadian Defence Review** — “Minister McGuinty Advances Defence Industrial Strategy with Industry Leaders” — July 28, 2026 — Secondary industry source substantially based on the government release.
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