Carney heads to Mexico in search of an ally

Prime Minister Mark Carney heads to Mexico Thursday with two separate, but related, goals.

The first is to find ways to work with Mexico to preserve North America-wide free trade, or at least as much of it as can be saved from the most protectionist U.S. administration in a century.

The second is to develop a bilateral trading relationship with Mexico that operates independently of the whims of the White House, and can survive whatever fate lies in store for the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) when its renegotiation finally happens.

The trip is expected to produce an agreement on a new Canada-Mexico comprehensive partnership and a security dialogue focused on issues such as transnational crime and drug-smuggling.

Canada to launch CUSMA consultations after U.S. ambassador says bigg