Canadian minister hails ‘productive’ Mexico meeting as US tariffs loom

Top Canadian ministers held a “productive” meeting with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and some of her top officials during a visit to Mexico City on Tuesday, Canada’s top diplomat said, as the two nations navigate a volatile tariff environment.

Mexico’s economy minister had signalled earlier in the day that talks would cover the two countries’ policies in response to a volley of tariff announcements from U.S. President Donald Trump. The three countries have tightly bound economies.

Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand said in a post on X that she and Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne had spoken with Sheinbaum to reaffirm bilateral ties.

“These discussions with the president and members of her government advanced key shared priorities in terms of economic growth, security and trade diversification,” she added.

Anand also said Canada and Mexico had agreed to create a plan to deepen cooperation on a variety of bilateral issues during the trip, including resilient supply chains, port-to-port lines of trade, artificial intelligence and energy security.

The Canadian ministers were also meeting with Mexican legislators and business leaders during their two-day trip, Anand said.

Mexico’s Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard said earlier in the day that he was also set to speak with Champagne about the two countries’ experiences in dealing with tariffs imposed on goods shipped to the United States.

“They want to know how Mexico is getting these results,” Ebrard told journalists.

Mexico was able to avoid 30% tariffs on its shipments to the U.S. set to come into force last week, securing a 90-day pause to work on a trade deal with the government of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Meanwhile, Trump slapped a 35% duty on many goods coming from Canada, hiking the rate from a 25% fentanyl-related tariff imposed earlier this year.

“We’re going to exchange experiences,” Ebrard said. “They’re paying a 35% tariff, and Mexico isn’t.”

Mexico is still subject to the previously imposed 25% fentanyl tariffs, though goods sent under the United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade agreement, which are most of them, are exempt.

Trump has said the U.S. would continue to levy a 50% tariff on Mexican steel, aluminium and copper and a 25% tariff on Mexican autos and on the non-USMCA-compliant goods.

Sheinbaum, who met with Champagne and Anand at Mexico’s national palace, said on X, “We’re strengthening the relationship between our countries.”

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