This is John Batch, a conversation with my colleague Conrad Black, who writes at the National Post about Mr. Carney, the prime minister's mission to Beijing, to secure a trading relationship with China, offset what might be lost in trading with the Trump administration.

However, the USMCA negotiation is coming, and Comrade Black has confidence in

Mr. Carney as a negotiator. Here, I'll explain more of this tonight. On the USMCA, I think the Canadian

government is hoping that the very strong balance of opinion in the United States in favor of retention

of it, even with some modifications, should help us get a new agreement.

It seems to be that the crunch subject are thought to be cars and steel.

And again, it is very possible that Mr. Carney in China has been introducing the possibility

of building Chinese cars in Canada.

So I don't mean to say that he's been sitting there twiddling his thumbs or playing

gin rummy with the Chinese.

He's got plenty to talk about.

And I see him he's doing it.

I would not discount him as a negotiator.

I think he's a very skilled, experienced negotiator in economic areas.

So some fruit may fall from that tree.

But on the USMCA, the general view in Canada is it should be renewed and it should be renewed as closely to what it has been as possible.

But we recognize that President Trump thinks that we have taken advantage of the United States in automobiles and steel, of course, the related subjects.

And so that we may have a bumpy ride on that part of it.