Question Period Note: If questioned about the suggestion that Canada negotiate a bilateral trade agreement with the United States, to the exclusion of Mexico.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has publicly called for Canada to move ahead with separate bilateral trade deals with the US and Mexico, asserting that Mexico has become a backdoor for Chinese goods.

• Canada believes that CUSMA should remain trilateral, and that the upcoming joint review should be targeted and narrow.
• Canada values its deep and multifaceted relationship with Mexico, our third largest merchandise trading partner. In the face of U.S. tariffs, Canada is taking steps to strengthen our collaboration with Mexico.

On several occasions since November 2024, including as recently as April 2025, Ontario Premier Doug Ford has publicly called for Canada to negotiate bilateral trade deals with the United States and Mexico rather than maintaining the trilateral structure that currently exists under the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). He has asserted that Mexico has become a backdoor for Chinese goods to enter North America. When asked about Premier Ford's suggestion at a news conference in late November 2024, former Prime Minister Trudeau responded that Canada's preference was to maintain a trilateral agreement but did not rule out the possibility of a bilateral deal.

In 2024, Mexico was Canada's 3rd largest bilateral merchandise trade partner and an important destination for Canadian direct investment abroad, with over $46 billion invested. In 2024, Mexico ranked as the U.S.' top bilateral merchandise trade partner, with Canada ranking 2nd. Mexico is the top trading partner and export destination for many U.S. states, particularly in the south and southwest. There have been no suggestions from U.S. Administration officials about pursuing separate bilateral trade agreements with Canada and Mexico, although numerous U.S. political figures have expressed concerns with Mexico as a potential 'backdoor' to the U.S. for Chinese goods.

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