MNI BRIEF: Trudeau Sees Option Of US Trade Pact Without Mexico

MNI (OTTAWA) - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday said that while keeping Mexico in a North American free trade pact is his first choice, other options may be needed, his strongest public comments to date about the potential for returning to a bilateral deal with the U.S.

“There have been real and genuine concerns raised about Chinese investment into Mexico that I brought up directly with the Mexican President,” Trudeau told reporters in Toronto. “We are leaving all doors open, because my job is and always will be to stand up for Canadian workers.” (See: MNI POLICY: Canada Fears US Reaction To Mexico-China Auto Ties)

“Ideally, we do that as a united North American market, but pending decisions or choices that Mexico has made, we may have to look at other options.”