The NAFTA renegotiation struggle between Canada & Mexico, on the one hand, & the Trump Administration, on the other, has been to (a) control the substance, nature & tone of the negotiation agenda, & (b) advance the economic & public policy objectives if their own countries respectively through that control.

Canada & Mexico have so far, given that they are the smaller players with the most to lose if negotiations fail,  done surprisingly well by (a) assembling strong research, diplomatic & negotiating teams that have placed useful reform proposals forward for negotiation & presentation (together with some proposals designed to be sacrificed during negotiations) to potential US domestic allies, & (b) maintained a positive but resolute tone so as to deprive the Trump Administration of a pretext to throw negotiations into crisis.