She's little, but she's tough . . . .   Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia   
   Freeland.  She's hung in there for all these ugly months under Donald Trump's   
   reign.  And today the break-through on the ugly tariffs Trump brought in   
   against Canada (and Mexico)    
   under the guise of being 'a threat to U.S. security'.       
      
   Stunning new employment numbers last week . . . . a breakthrough against   
   punitive tariffs this week . . . .   Trudeau will be able to stand on his   
   record going into the election.  Scheer is going to have to continue to call   
   for 'inquiries' to try to tear    
   down the Liberal government.  . . . so very pathetic.   
      
   Canada and Mexico decided to play the 'trump card' . . . . 'you don't lift   
   tariffs, we don't ratify the new version NAFTA deal'.  And Trump folded.   
   _______________________   
      
   CBC News · Posted: May 17, 2019   
      
      
   Canada, U.S. reach deal to lift steel and aluminum tariffs within 2 days   
      
   The nearly year-long tariff war between Canada and the U.S. is almost over.   
      
   The Canadian government released a statement Friday saying the two sides have   
   agreed to eliminate the tariffs within two days.   
      
   "This is pure good news," said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at a stop at the   
   Stelco plant in Hamilton, Ont.   
      
   The deal applies to the tariffs the U.S. imposed last June by citing national   
   security — 25 per cent on imports of steel and 10 per cent on aluminum —   
   as well as Canada's retaliatory tariffs on steel, aluminum and as other   
   consumer products.   
      
   Canada has long argued last summer's tariffs were illegal. As part of the   
   deal, the Trudeau government has agreed to end its legal challenge against the   
   U.S at the World Trade Organization on the section 232 tariffs.   
      
   The deal also includes:   
      
       A monitoring system to watch out for any potential surges in the metals   
   markets.   
       A commitment to stop the importation of aluminum and steel that is   
   unfairly subsidized or sold at 'dumped' prices.   
       A promise to prevent the transshipment of aluminum and steel made outside   
   of Canada or the United States to either country.   
      
   It makes no mention of quotas, an American proposal the Canadian side fought   
   against.   
   "We stayed strong because that's what workers were asking for, but also that's   
   what Canadians were saying," said Trudeau.   
      
   Trudeau spoke to U.S. President Donald Trump earlier today, their third   
   conversation this week. The Prime Minister's Office said the pair discussed   
   the tariff issue.   
      
      
   Trump was looking for a win: source   
      
   The tariffs have disrupted supply chains and added extra costs for consumers   
   and businesses across a wide range of industries on both sides of the border,   
   and were becoming a barrier to ratifying the new North American free trade   
   pact.   
      
   A senior source with direct knowledge of the negotiations said the Canadian   
   side had been quietly insisting that Canada wasn't going to ratify that deal   
   until the tariffs were lifted. The source added that President Trump is   
   looking for a trade win,    
   given escalating tension with China.   
      
   Trudeau had been using his phone calls with Trump to point out that Canada   
   poses no credible national security risk to the United States, said the source.   
      
   Trudeau said Friday's agreement followed a series of conversations between   
   Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland,  Finance Minister Bill Morneau and   
   Canadian and American negotiators.   
      
   "There was no one breakthrough moment ... Lots of conversations with the   
   president over the past week and an understanding as well that these tariffs   
   were harming workers and consumers on both sides of the border," he said in   
   Hamilton.   
      
   "As we look at moving forward with the new NAFTA, it didn't make a lot of   
   sense to continue to have tariffs on steel and aluminum between our countries.   
   That's where we got to."   
      
   Mexico's chief North American trade negotiator, Jesus Seade — who said on   
   Wednesday the U.S. and Mexico were close to a deal and were waiting on Canada   
   — tweeted Friday that the deal followed bilateral talks between Mexico and   
   the U.S.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)