OTTAWA, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Friday that his government will defend Canada's best interests in any new North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) deal, the CBC reported.
Trudeau made the remarks after U.S. President Donald Trump told a news outlet the United States will make no compromise in any agreement with Canada.
In an interview with Bloomberg News, the U.S. president reportedly said his position was "going to be so insulting they're [Canada] not going to be able to make a deal."
Asked about that report Friday, Trudeau said Canada will continue on a positive path forward in NAFTA talks.
"We're going to remain constructive, positive, serious and creative about what we do around the negotiating table, in what we do in relation with the United States," the prime minister said in Oshawa, Ontario, adding "but we are also going to be unequivocal about always standing up for Canadians' rights and Canadians' interests."
Early Friday, Canadian newspaper "The Globe and Mail" reported that talks between Canadian and U.S. trade negotiators turned sour last night and Trudeau government officials are now expressing concern that a final NAFTA deal will not be concluded Friday, the deadline set by Trump.
Despite repeated efforts by Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland to offer concession to maintain an independent trade dispute mechanism in a revamped trade deal, U.S. Trade Relations Representative Robert Lighthizer has refused budge, according to the Canadian newspaper.
