OTTAWA — Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc met with United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on Thursday with less than a week to go until U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest tariff deadline.

A new round of 50 per cent tariffs on a range of Canadian goods is set to take effect Aug. 19.

Unlike most of Trump’s other tariffs, these would have no exemptions for goods that comply with the Canada-U.S.-Mexico agreement on trade, widely known as CUSMA.

LeBlanc and Janice Charette, Canada’s chief trade negotiator, have been in Washington since Monday and Thursday’s meeting will be their second with Greer this week.

Greer has said the threatened tariffs are a response to provincial bans on U.S. liquor, Canada’s supply managed dairy system and quotas on certain U.S. vehicles.

Greer is set to tour a tire manufacturing plant in Iowa on Friday to tout President Donald Trump’s tariffs after meeting with Canadian officials earlier this week.

CUSMA was negotiated during the first Trump administration to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Speaking to reporters Thursday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford called on Ottawa to get a “fair deal” that protects the auto, steel, aluminum, forestry, manufacturing and agricultural sectors.

“We’d be more than happy to bring booze back on the shelves, only if we have a deal that’s going to protect those sectors,” Ford said.

“Every single tariff we have to match tariff-for-tariff. We can’t negotiate through weakness. They can’t put tariffs on our autos and we aren’t putting tariffs on theirs.”

Meeting with economic stakeholders in Montreal on Thursday, Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette said some industries may find themselves in “survival mode” if the Aug. 19 tariffs come to pass.

“We’re expecting negotiations to intensify over the coming days,” Fréchette said in French.

“There are some lines that can’t be crossed. Supply management is part of that, and protection of our culture and language. Those are essential to preserve.”

Bea Bruske, president of the Canadian Labour Congress, said in an email that Canadian workers have a lot riding on these negotiations.

“We want to see Canada and the United States reach a fair deal that protects jobs and provides stability for workers on both sides of the border,” she said. “But the threat of job losses cannot be used to pressure Canada into accepting a bad deal.”

Bruske said Canada can’t make concessions without getting something meaningful in return.

“We encourage Minister LeBlanc and Canada’s negotiating team to stay firm, defend Canadian workers and push for an agreement that delivers fair and reciprocal outcomes for both countries,” she said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 13, 2026.