Canada US trade negotiations are at a crossroads, and Dr. Sylvain Charlebois says the messaging coming out of Ottawa is conflicting enough to be a problem on its own. Mexico has overtaken Canada as the top US trading partner in the last six months. A deal there could dictate the terms Canada ends up with.

Dairy keeps surfacing as the American ask. Charlebois, who gave an interview to Reuters on this same question earlier this week, argues that Americans are not using it because they want the market. They are using it because it works as a pressure point. He adds that the growth hormone concern most Canadians hold about American milk applies to very little of what actually reaches consumers. The sectors with the most to gain from a ratified deal are produce, pork, and beef.

Topics: CUSMA trade deal, dairy supply management, food professor, Canada US negotiations, trade advisory board

GUEST: Dr. Sylvain Charlebois | @foodprofessor

Originally aired on2026-04-23