OTTAWA, July 1 (Xinhua) -- Canadian Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade Dominic LeBlanc on Wednesday reaffirmed Canada's "unwavering support" for the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) and its renewal following a trilateral joint review meeting.
LeBlanc made the remarks in a statement issued after meeting with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Mexican Secretary of Economy Marcelo Ebrard for the CUSMA joint review.
"The CUSMA supports millions of jobs across North America, and ensures Canadian businesses retain secure and predictable access to two of our most important trading partners," LeBlanc said in the statement, noting that the free trade agreement remains fully in force until 2036 and can be renewed at any time for another 16-year term.
The three ministers agreed on the importance of continuing discussions and finding ways to ensure trade and investment frameworks between the three countries to support regional prosperity and competitiveness, he said.
LeBlanc emphasized that Canada approaches these discussions from a "position of strength" with the goal of preserving and strengthening the trilateral trading relationship.
"At a time of global economic uncertainty, Canada is a stable, reliable and trusted partner," LeBlanc said, citing the country's energy and natural resources, world-class workforce, and a predictable business environment which has attracted record levels of investment in recent decades.
Since entering into force on July 1, 2020, CUSMA has formed the world's second-largest free trade region. ■
