US-Canada tariff deal 'very close', says White House adviser ahead of midterms

White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett. The United States and Canada are moving closer to a trade agreement as tariff negotiations between the two countries gather momentum, White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett has said, with the issue carrying political significance ahead of the November 3 US midterm elections.“The negotiations have picked up; they’re gathering steam,” Hassett, director of the White House National Economic Council, said during an appearance on Fox News’ The Sunday Briefing.He added that a deal was “very close” and that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick had been speaking with his Canadian counterparts throughout the week.US President Donald Trump also expressed hope about the negotiations, telling Detroit’s Fox 2 that an agreement could be reached within a couple of months, potentially before the midterm elections.“We’re getting close to a deal, and a deal could happen that’s going to be very good for everybody,” Trump said.According to the New York Post, Trump indicated that while an agreement could come before the election, the timeline would depend on whether the terms were favourable to the United States.“I want to make the right deal,” Trump said, ad...