By William Mauldin 

President Trump's trade czar signaled the U.S. and Mexico are ready to leave Canada behind in the North American Free Trade Agreement -- and move ahead with a new version of the deal in days.

"There is still a fair amount of distance between us," U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said of Canada at a conference in New York. "Our hope is that Canada comes along and joins that right now."

The Trump administration last month announced it had resolved differences with Mexico on a new version of Nafta, and it sent Congress formal notice of intent to sign a deal -- with or without Canada -- in late November, before Mexico's new president takes office.

(More to Come)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

September 25, 2018 11:31 ET (15:31 GMT)