North American Leaders Face Anti-Globalization Sentiments at Ottawa Summit VOA News
go to original June 29, 2016

U.S. President Barack Obama takes the opportunity of a news conference at the end of the 2016 North American Leaders' Summit in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on June 29th to reflect on the meaning of populism -- and who really represents populism in American politics. (FactPointVideo)

Update: What the Three Amigos Agreed on at the North American Summit (MacLean's)

U.S., Canadian and Mexican leaders confronted a wave of trade protectionism and anti-globalization sentiment as they met Wednesday at the North American Leaders Summit in Ottawa.

U.S. President Barack Obama, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto were expected to seek ways to boost free trade under the 22-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, at a time when international trade deals are being attacked in the United States and Europe.

All three leaders support NAFTA and together their countries account for almost 27 percent of the world's economic output.

"We've seen around the world many examples of protectionism, of concern, of stepping away from trade agreements," Trudeau said ahead of the summit as he called for more rather than less global cooperation.

'Better partnerships'

"Better partnerships are a path to prosperity and that's a compelling example that we want to showcase at a time where unfortunately people are prone to turning inwards, which will be at the cost of economic growth and their own success," he said.

At least some of the voter sentiment that led to last week's British decision to exit the European Union has been attributed to anti-globalization.

In the United States, Republican presidential contender Donald Trump says he wants to renegotiate or scrap NAFTA, saying it has cost thousands of U.S. jobs and cut wages for American workers.

The three North American leaders will also be discussing the Trans-Pacific Partnership and how they plan to ratify it in their respective countries.

Read the rest at VOA News

Related: Mexico President: Integration, Not Isolation, the Path for North America (Reuters)

Related: Obama, Peña Nieto Talk Trade But Not Oaxaca, State Violence (teleSUR)

Related: Three Amigos Make Pacts on Environment, LGBTI Rights (The Star)

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