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In one of his first English language interviews after being named to lead the incoming Mexican government’s NAFTA negotiating team, Jesus Seade gave an expansive view of the thinking of the new government on trade and made it clear that social — or in Trudeau’s language, “progressive” — issues have no place in trade negotiations and that dealing with these issues is a subject for domestic policy. Period.

The Mexicans may not have thrown Canada under the NAFTA negotiating bus, but on the identity trade issue, they have certainly yanked whatever was left of that rug out from under Trudeau.

In a touch of irony, what progress has been made in actually doing something concrete and tangible to help women in business in NAFTA has been done quietly by the bi-national female CEO group set up by Trudeau and Ivanka Trump. This shows a more constructive path forward on these issues. Domestic policy, as identified by the incoming Mexican administration, is the proper start. Going beyond this means bringing those who actually trade, hire, promote and buy to the table to put forward solutions.

In all of this there is a silver lining. If this is indeed the end of the government’s progressive trade agenda — and the lack of any mention of it in the mandate letter from the prime minister to his new trade minister indicates that it is — then the issue should be off the table for negotiations with China. This removes a contentious issue that would do nothing to advance hard Canadian interests and will allow our negotiators to instead focus time and attention on areas where trade agreements actually have impact: protecting jobs, promoting investment and dealing with non-tariff barriers.

At the very least, should our government try to raise the issue, China now has the perfect response: We’ll take the same progressive trade elements that you have in NAFTA.

Carlo Dade is the director of the Trade and Investment Centre at the Canada West Foundation.