The leaders of Canada and Mexico have agreed to deepen economic and security ties amid ongoing trade pressure from the Trump administration.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived in Mexico on Thursday for talks with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum as both seek common ground in approaching critical trade talks with the US on the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) free trade pact.
The pact is up for review in 2026, but it has already been shaken up by tariff threats from US President Donald Trump.
In February, Trump bashed the USMCA deal he set up during his first administration, while threatening 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico, saying both countries were responsible for enabling fentanyl trafficking into the US.
After several rounds of negotiations and exemptions, scattershot tariffs remain in place on some goods not covered under the deal. Trump has said he wants renegotiations with better terms for US manufacturers.
Canada, Mexico seek common front
As public consultations starting the USMCA review process kicked off this week, Carney and Sheinbaum indicated they would try and present a common front rather than try and reach bilateral side deals with Trump.
“We will move forwards together,” Carney told a press conference Thursday after being asked if Canada would consider going around Mexico to get a better deal.
Carney said the two leaders were “committed” to the USMCA, crediting it with making North America “the economic envy of the world.”
“Part of the reason for that is the cooperation between Canada and Mexico … We complement the United States. We make them stronger. We are all stronger together,” he added.
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