The U.S. commerce secretary says Canada is not a national security threat and that a revitalized NAFTA could make the Trump administration's tariffs on steel and aluminum go away.

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

Under grilling by Republicans and Democrats in Washington, Ross heard concerns that looming retaliatory tariffs by allies, including Canada, Mexico and the European Union, would kill American jobs and drive up prices for consumers.

He made the remarks to a U.S. Senate committee examining tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump on some of that country's closest partners, based on the premise they are threats to American national security under the controversial Section 232 of U.S. trade law...

This was excerpted from the 20 June 2018 edition of CBC News.