U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer met with Canadian counterpart Dominic LeBlanc Friday in Washington as a midnight deadline for the imposition of 50% American tariffs on many Canadian goods loomed. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 21 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump's threatened 50% tariffs on $20 billion worth of Canadian goods hung in the balance Friday as U.S. and Canadian negotiators met in Washington with a midnight deadline looming.
Canadian Minister for Internal Trade Dominic LeBlanc, his country's lead negotiator, arrived at the offices of U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer shortly after noon as the two sides met to strike a deal ahead of Trump's 12:01 a.m. Saturday deadline, the CBC reported.
The U.S. president signed orders in July to impose 50% tariffs on Canadian goods, including cement, hockey sticks and many other items, representing about 2% of the entire trade between the United States and Canada.
The tariffs were to go into effect at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, but were delayed through the end of Friday by an announcement on social media issued about 90 minutes before the deadline in which Trump said the two sides "have a DEAL!" with final implementation to come.
