In the never-ending NAFTA negotiations, there is a sense again that Canada is up against another Washington-imposed ultimatum, another deadline. Either make the deal by the end of this month or it will be a Mexico-U.S. trade pact only.

But in reality, there is no ultimatum or deadline of fateful consequence. Ottawa can afford to be patient, to have the negotiations drag on. It’s likely beneficial, because Donald Trump’s stature is weakening. As it does, his bargaining strength shrinks. As some Canadian officials are now thinking, odds are that a better bargain for Canada comes later.

They would like to conclude a deal this month but not be pressured into doing so. Support for the man-child President is already low. It will be lower come the midterm elections, when he is almost certain to take a serious hit. It will be even lower with the release of the Mueller report, which is almost certain to be incriminating. Before long, this President could be a drowning man.

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The North American free-trade agreement negotiations are slated to continue next week. If they do, they should be on Canadian soil. Instead of Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland trudging down to Washington every week for trade talks, it’s time the Americans came to Ottawa.

No need to look like supplicants. Mexico hatched its agreement with the United States in Mexico. Ms. Freeland has spent about half her year in the District of Columbia, while American trade negotiator Robert Lighthizer has rarely set foot north of the border.

The Trudeau government can await with anticipation the November midterm elections, which are very likely to produce a Democratic majority in the House of Representatives. With that, chances of Mr. Trump getting a broken-down NAFTA deal without Canada through Congress will be next to nil.

Some fear that if Mr. Trudeau doesn’t bend now, the ignitable President will impose his threatened auto tariffs. It’s not going to happen. As irrational as he can be, Mr. Trump will have a light-bulb moment on this one. He won’t go that far.

Ottawa could conceivably still get a new trade deal this month. Negotiators are prepared to compromise on the dairy trade question, and they should find a way of compromising on a dispute-settlement mechanism as well. It should not be a deal-breaker. Overlooked in this debate are reasonable outcomes Mexico and Canada have been getting on disputes via the U.S. courts and the U.S. International Trade Commission. It’s why Mexico could relent on the Chapter 19 settlement apparatus in its new pact with Washington.

But we don’t know what else the Americans are demanding in the negotiations. There is speculation they want some of our cultural protections eliminated. I asked one of our negotiators about this. No denial was forthcoming.

If this is the case, if there are other roadblocks, better for Ottawa to walk away and await better circumstances. Justin Trudeau can take the risk. He has the sympathy of the Canadian public in dealing with Mr. Trump.

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If there ever was an indication of the exceptional circumstances he faces, it came from Brian Mulroney this week. The old Tory warhorse has never been one to put down an American president, but even he can no longer tolerate Mr. Trump. “George Bush was fantastic and still is,” said Mr. Mulroney, referencing Bush Sr., not W. "I tell you, if you want to see a contrast between a civilized, modest, thoughtful, generous leadership and what you’re seeing today, there you go.”

There you go. Mr. Mulroney won’t be getting any more invitations to Mar-a-Lago. But good on him for saying it.

He sees no profit in playing the ingratiation game with this President. Nor, it seems, does Ms. Freeland, who had the brass to appear on a panel show this week entitled “Taking on the Tyrant.” Though she never came close to calling him that, it was a risky appearance to make.

Prior to that, Mr. Trudeau got a shot in, telling an Edmonton radio station that “we have a President who doesn’t always follow the rules as they’re laid out.”

Good. In dealing with Mr. Trump, self-respect needs to be a priority. Buckling under is not an option. Not from the point of view of national pride. Nor from the point of view of meeting any false deadlines. Given Mr. Trump’s trajectory, time is on Canada’s side.