US, Canada agreement on NAFTA 2.0 appears within reach
A deal on an overhaul of the North American Free Trade Agreement appeared within reach as Canada and the United States opened their third day of negotiations Thursday aimed at getting the pact done by the end of the week. Following another face-to-face meeting with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, Freeland said she remains "optimistic" the sides can bridge their differences by Friday. Donald Trump has threatened to leave Canada on the sidelines since announcing a breakthrough with Mexico on Monday, but both the US president and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have also expressed optimism a deal is close.