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Even as it is engaged in trade disputes with Canada, the Trump administration is moving ahead to remove barriers in the way of a U.S. firm wanting to sell America’s northern neighbour more than $1 billion worth of armed drones.

U.S. President Donald Trump aims to ease restrictions so American weapons can be sold to trusted allies and U.S. companies and workers profit from those deals.

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But whether the Canadian government will be keen on such a purchase as it faces hard-line U.S. trade protectionist measures in other areas remains to be seen, analysts say.

The Canadian military had previously wanted to buy Predator drones but, according to Department of National Defence documents obtained by the Ottawa Citizen, U.S. security regulations have put such a deal at risk.

Photo by AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File

The U.S. government started reviewing the restrictions on drone sales to foreign nations several months ago. It is also looking at changes to a missile-control pact that would ease the sale of armed U.S. unmanned aircraft to various countries. There are plans to unveil the new rules by the end of the year.