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As a Canada-U.S. trade deal appears to be coming together, a Mexican official says that county is feeling pressure to settle it's own. Photo by Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty ImagesCanada’s preliminary trade deal with the U.S. caught Mexican officials and business leaders off guard. Now, Mexico wants one of its own, as questions grow over whether months of painstaking engagement can deliver comparable tariff relief from President Donald Trump.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorAfter a weeklong negotiation that avoided U.S. tariffs on a wide range of products, Ottawa and Washington reached a tentative deal to lower them on certain Canadian steel and aluminum products to 25 per cent while cutting duties on Canadian autos to 15 per cent. Both are key demands made by Mexican negotiators in its trade talks with the Trump administration.Canada’s draft agreement, though the details have yet to be finalized, adds pressure on Mexican negotiators to secure comparable relief from U.S. import duties, according to a Mexican official familiar with the matter. Several of the concessions obtained by the Canadians address the same sectors and measures Mexico has raised in its own talks with Washington, the person said, requesting anonymity to candidly discuss the government’s strategy.Get a dash of perspective along with the trending news of the day in a very readable format.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of NP Posted will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againMexico’s economy ministry, which oversees foreign trade, declined to comment.The surprise U.S.-Canada breakthrough could sharpen scrutiny of Mexico’s strategy after months of negotiations that haven’t yet produced similar results. It also gives Mexican officials a clearer benchmark as they push for relief for industries including metals and autos, the person said.While Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney for months adopted a more confrontational stance, President Claudia Sheinbaum instead shunned retaliation, favouring her trademark “cool-headed” approach to keep channels open while seeking tariff exemptions through negotiation. The U.S. and Mexico held three bilateral rounds of trade talks from May through July, covering many of the same key exporting industries.Mexican officials pointed to that engagement — plus concessions on non-trade matters like enhanced security cooperation with the U.S. — as evidence that Sheinbaum’s negotiators were outpacing Canada’s in high-stakes discussions over the future of the USMCA North American free trade pact. But that view is now being questioned.A major USMCA extension has proved elusive, while concrete relief from punishing U.S. tariffs has been limited, even as Mexican officials say about 85 per cent of U.S.-bound exports continue to enter duty-free under the USMCA. Still, vehicles, steel and aluminum remain subject to sector-specific U.S. tariffs, which has put those industries at the center of the bilateral talks.Business leaders in Mexico’s auto and steel sectors argue that the emerging U.S.-Canada agreement has significantly weakened the Mexican government’s view that early engagement put its exports in a privileged position. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive negotiations.The focus now shifts to whether months of negotiations and growing alignment with Washington on China can deliver relief for the industries still paying Trump’s tariffs, according to a person in the auto industry.The Trump administration has asked Sheinbaum to consider so-called Section 232-style tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from outside North America, to better match Washington’s approach to China. Mexican officials have said they’re open to discussing the proposal and have already boosted tariffs on imported Asian steel.Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here. Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.