Trump and Trudeau Discuss Cargo Pre-Clearance, NAFTA Path Forward
President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau are working to build a “21st century border” through initiatives such as cargo pre-clearance and continued collaboration on regulations, they said in a joint statement (here). “In the spirit of a more efficient and secure border, we will also examine ways to further integrate our border operations, including analysis of the feasibility of co-locating border officials in common processing facilities,” they said. The two nations are "doing some cross-border things that will make it a lot easier for trade, and a lot better and a lot faster for trade," Trump said during a joint press conference on Feb. 13 (here). "Through technology, we have some really great ideas, and they'll be implemented fairly quickly."
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Trump also said that the U.S. and Canada would only be "tweaking" their relationship in NAFTA to benefit both nations, adding that the U.S. has a "very outstanding trade relationship with Canada," and that it's a "much less severe situation" than the "extremely unfair transaction" along the southern border. But Mexico and the U.S. will likely still have a constructive relationship after NAFTA renegotiation, Trump said. Trudeau said that as Canadian trade negotiators discuss NAFTA with U.S. counterparts in the weeks and months ahead, they will raise the topic of job maintenance and creation on both sides of the border. Trump and Trudeau in their joint statement also pledged to continue regulatory cooperation. “We will continue our dialogue on regulatory issues and pursue shared regulatory outcomes that are business-friendly, reduce costs, and increase economic efficiency without compromising health, safety, and environmental standards.” The U.S. and Canada also look forward to “expeditious completion” of the Gordie Howe International Bridge spanning the Detroit River and connecting the U.S. with Canada at Windsor, Ontario, the statement says. The Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority released a request for proposals in November 2016 for the project.