The U.S.’s deal was no deal at all

Steve Verheul was Canada’s chief trade negotiator from 2017-21, leading negotiations that resulted in the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. The breakdown in Canada-U.S. negotiations has left Canada in a difficult position, with uncertain and challenging times ahead. But agreeing to the deal the U.S. was offering on Friday night would have been worse. Accepting tariffs against key Canadian exports in an integrated North American economy and against the fundamental obligations of our existing free trade agreement would have meant crossing a threshold that would be difficult to unwind. Canadian autos, which faced a reported 15-per-cent tariff under the terms of the…