Aug 28, 2018
Jimmy Carter says he hopes NAFTA countries reach ‘fair’ deal for all
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, who played a role in creating the original North American Free Trade Agreement, says he hopes the United States and Canada can reach a new trade deal that’s fair to both countries.
“I personally helped NAFTA get started, and I was very proud of what NAFTA had done, both for the United States, and also for Canada and Mexico,” the now 93-year-old Carter, who served as president from 1977 to 1981, told BNN Bloomberg’s Jon Erlichman in an interview Tuesday.
“And I hope that when we do replace [NAFTA] with something relating to Canada, it’ll be fair to both countries,” he added. “That’s what I hope for. I think NAFTA was, and I hope the new arrangements, whatever they might be, will be equally successful.”
U.S. President Donald Trump announced Monday a new trade agreement with Mexico, leaving Canada on the sidelines. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office said late Monday that he had a “constructive” discussion with Trump after the U.S. president said he thinks it would be “easiest” to just leave Canada out and impose tariffs on the country’s automotive imports.
Meanwhile, Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland left a trip in Europe early on Tuesday to travel to Washington, D.C. for trade talks.
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“I hope and pray that the friendship that exists between the people of Mexico, and Canada, and the United States will prevail – particularly between Canada and the United States,” said Carter, who said he recalls a young Trudeau visiting the White House with his father Pierre.
“We’ve never had a better friend in the world – one that supported our constantly changing policies in America any more closely or more avidly or more productively than Canada has,” Carter added. “And I hope that would be the same thing in the future.”
Carter said it’s important to be accommodating in trade negotiations while maintaining core principles like fairness and equality.
“My high school teacher used to tell me we must accommodate changing times but it’s the principles that never change. And I think that’s one of things that has to be done both in politics and also in trade relationships – is we have to accommodate the other side and make allowances for them,” he said.
Carter also said he’s confident Canada and the U.S. can overcome any current difficulties, citing the two country’s strong historical friendship and cooperation with each other.
“So I don’t have any doubt that in future years, the difficulties that we see right at this moment – between maybe Prime Minister Trudeau and President Trump – will be dissipated. I feel sure about that,” he said.
“If both sides just cling to those principles that I just described – like accommodating changing times, but cling to principles that don’t change – I think that we’ll prevail.”