Washington demanding 'entry fee' from Ottawa before trade talks: sources

The Trump administration is demanding what amounts to an "entry fee" from Canada to engage in trade talks toward a revised Canada-United States-Mexico Free Trade Agreement (CUSMA), four sources told Radio-Canada.

"The Americans are setting conditions before negotiations begin," said one high-ranking individual familiar with the matter.

Three sources used the term "entry fee" to describe concessions the U.S. administration is seeking before formal trade talks begin.

"[U.S. President Donald] Trump wants us to make a lot of concessions before we sit down at the table," Charest told Radio-Canada. "Meanwhile, he wouldn’t make any."