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Trump Calls on Canada to Open Markets, Remove Trade Barriers

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Canada must open its markets and remove trade barriers against the US agricultural industry, US President Donald Trump said in a statement on Friday.
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"Canada has treated our Agricultural business and Farmers very poorly for a very long period of time. Highly restrictive on Trade! They must open their markets and take down their trade barriers!" Trump said in a Twitter message.

Trump also said Canada reports a high surplus on trade with the United States.

Earlier it was reported that the US President has given Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau an ultimatum on trade, saying he would not accept any deal that is not "fair."

READ MORE: Trump Tells Trudeau US Wants Fair Trade Deal or None at All

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The statement came after Canada said it would start imposing duties on US imports of steel and aluminum products on July 1 in response to similar US tariffs. The taxes will stay in place until Washington ends its own restrictions.

The two countries have been in talks since August 2017 to update the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), a three-way pact that has long been criticized by Trump.

Trudeau said Thursday he invited Trump to a meeting on NAFTA last week, but was contacted by US Vice President Mike Pence who said the summit was contingent on his agreeing to limit the deal to five years, a condition Trudeau rejected as totally unacceptable.

 

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