HANDSHAKE

U.S. and Canada Reach Last-Minute Deal on NAFTA

Just before midnight deadline would have left Canada out of new U.S.-Mexico pact.

Following 13 months of intensive negotiating, the United States and Canada have reached an agreement to salvage the North American Free Trade Agreement. The U.S. and Mexico had already agreed to a new trade deal, and Canada looked set to be left out as negotiators expressed pessimism Sunday that they could come to an agreement before the U.S.-imposed midnight deadline. Sticking points included Canada’s dairy regime and auto tariffs and quotas. In a joint statement, Robert E. Lighthizer, the president’s top trade negotiator, and Canada’s foreign affairs minister, Chrystia Freeland, said the new deal “will give our workers, farmers, ranchers and businesses a high-standard trade agreement that will result in freer markets, fairer trade and robust economic growth in our region.”