By The Canadian Press

NDP says government needs to be more transparent in trade talks with the U.S.

Jun 1, 2025 | 10:49 AM

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney should honour the Liberal government’s past promises to the NDP and table information about any U.S. trade talks in the House of Commons, the party’s interim leader says.

The request from Don Davies comes ahead of this month’s gathering of G7 leaders, where Carney will once again meet with U.S. President Donald Trump and the two will continue to work out a new economic and security relationship between the two countries.

The G7 summit takes place in Kananaskis, Alta. between June 15 and 17.

A letter from Davies to Carney, dated May 29, says the NDP is concerned the government has entered “preliminary” discussions with the Trump administration about renegotiating the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement, which is up for review next year.

“These conversations appear to be happening without the transparency that Canadians were promised and that your party has committed to in writing,” Davies wrote.

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The letter said that in Feb. 2020, then deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland committed in writing to tabling notice of intent for trade talks in the House at least 90 days before they begin, sharing talk objectives at least 30 days before negotiations start, and providing an economic impact assessment alongside implementation legislation.

The pledges from Freeland were spelled out in a letter sent to former NDP MP Daniel Blaikie after he requested the government modify the negotiation and ratification process behind trade deals.

Freeland’s 2020 letter said the above provisions would be added to the government’s revised Policy on Tabling Treaties in Parliament. That letter said it was being done “in light of the NDP proposal to add further transparency to the free trade negotiation process.”

In his own letter, Davies said there’s no indication these steps are currently being followed. Canadians “deserve” transparency and to be kept in the loop on plans regarding labour concerns and treaty issues, he added.

In a May 27 interview with CBC’s “Power & Politics,” Carney said there needs to be more progress on the U.S. tariff issue before trade talks can begin.

Carney said on May 5, after meeting with Trump in the Oval Office, that the president is open to negotiating a new trade deal with Canada.

“As I’ve emphasized, it’s a complex negotiation. There’ll be zigs and zags, difficult aspects to it. But the prospect is there,” Carney said in Washington.

A request for comment from the Prime Minister’s Office was not immediately returned.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 1, 2025.

David Baxter, The Canadian Press