Canada Aims for South America Trade Deal by Fall

0:00It's March 27. This is Canada News Today. Local news powered by AI. Canada's international trade minister says he's aiming to seal a free trade deal with South America's Merkel's sore block by this autumn. Meninda Sido shared the target while attending a World Trade Organization conference in Younday, Cameroon. He's ramping up the pace with talks planned every six weeks to hit that fall deadline. He knew already held bilateral meetings with Argentina and Paraguay and met Brazil and Uruguay reps right there on the sidelines. Officials from the region sound upbeat about the progress. Argentine sources expect a signing in September or October, roughly a year since formal talks restarted. A Brazilian diplomat called the Negotiations, Record Fast, and on track for this year. This effort fits Canada's push to spread out its trade partners. With U.S. tariffs creating uncertainty during the Trump years, South America, especially Brazil, has become a vital option that Canada can ignore.

1:02Momentum is building on all sides and a breakthrough could reshape trade ties across the hemisphere in the months ahead.