Harper and Obama to meet as the G20 summit in Mexico comes to close

LOS CABOS, Mexico – Prime Minister Stephen Harper will meet U.S. President Barack Obama as the G20 summit in Mexico comes to a close.

The Prime Minister’s Office says the two leaders are scheduled to sit down just before noon local time.

It’s widely expected Harper will then announce that Canada has been asked to join negotiations for the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Canadian officials have been lobbying the Obama administration to allow Canada into the talks.

Many believe the deal will have more economic strength than the North American Free Trade Agreement.

But Canada’s trade restrictions on dairy and poultry products present a big obstacle to joining the talks.

Canada has a supply-management system that controls milk and egg prices while setting prohibitively high tariffs on imports.

The announcement would come a day after Mexico was invited to join the talks.