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U.S. trade policy toward Canada is far more restrictive than tariff rates suggest
(www.theglobeandmail.com)
I believe this is the paper that being referenced. Not sure since the article does not link or directly attribute the references beyond the author's name.
https://www.nber.org/papers/w34687
Just to be straightforward with this quote you'd would be much better served as a human being to not fully believe any politician. But if we're looking beyond just the rates and include the volume traded with America and the ambiguous nature of whatever "best deal" means than this isn't really isn't much to pick at.
“It’s quite wrong to conclude that Canada has the ‘best deal’ on trade with the U.S.,”
I'm also going to end with the Globe and Mail isn't the neutral observer they portray themselves being.