Brazil, Canada eye restart of Mercosur trade talks Deal could boost ag exports like beef and soybeansBrazil is engaged in a "constructive dialogue" with Canada to resume negotiations for a free trade agreement between South America's Mercosur bloc and Ottawa, Reuters reported, citing the Brazilian Foreign Trade Secretary as its source. Canadian officials are due to visit Brazil in late August, according to Tatiana Prazeres, Brazil's Foreign Trade Secretary, who shared details of the visit in a written response to Reuters this week. Sources from both Canada and Brazil told Reuters that Canada's International Trade Minister, Maninder Sidhu, is expected to travel to Brasilia on August 25. Bilateral trade between the US and Canada totalled $727 billion last year while Canada's trade with Brazil - the biggest Mercosur economy - reached $9.1 billion, with Brazil posting a $3.5 billion surplus. Prazeres said any formal restart of negotiations, including setting a timetable for talks, would depend on internal coordination within Mercosur.