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OTTAWA — U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross says Canada is not a national security threat to the United States and that a revitalized NAFTA could make the Trump administration’s tariffs on steel and aluminum go away.

Ross also acknowledged Wednesday that the U.S. doesn’t have a trade deficit on steel with Canada. In fact, he said it has a surplus with its northern neighbour in terms of dollar value.

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Ross made the comments in Washington to a U.S. Senate committee that’s examining tariffs imposed by Trump on some of that country’s closest partners, including Canada. The duties are based on the premise the countries are threats to American national security under the controversial Section 232 of U.S. trade law.

The remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump’s point person on tariffs provided some encouragement for Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland.

Freeland said later Wednesday that officials have been trying to convey the message to Washington that the trade balance on steel isn’t tilted in Canada’s favour and that it poses no national security threat to the U.S.