CANADA'S MULRONEY SAYS U.S. TRADE DEAL NEARS Prime Minister Brian Mulroney said "significant progress" was being made in trade talks with the United States and a profile of a major deal was emerging. Opening a debate on free trade in the House of Commons, Mulroney said an accord would create thousands of jobs in Canada and bring greater economic prosperity to both countries. Mulroney, who offered few new details of the talks, said that while the negotiations were risky and difficult, "a profile of a major trade deal is now emerging." In a 50-minute address, Mulroney made an often passionate defense of the initiative that he said would give poorer areas of the country a major economic boost. "Because of our trading patterns over a period of decades, we are in the process of building two Canadas -- one that is rich and promising, one that is under-developed and under-employed," said Mulroney. "What we want is to make sure Newfoundlanders and British Columbians and Albertans and others, that they get their chance. They must be given the opportunity to trade their way to prosperity." Few detials have been released on the trade talks which were launched nearly two years ago between the two nations that are each others most important trading partners. Recent published reports in Canada, quoting senior trade sources, said the countries were close to reaching a trade deal and it will involve eliminating border trariffs and many non-tariff barriers over the next 10 to 12 years. It has been reported a key stumbling block in the talks is a Canadian proposal to find a new way to settle trade disputes, something that would give Canada protection from Washington's tough trade remedy laws. But Mulroney, sharply critical of protectionist sentiment in the U.S, said Canada was a "fair trader" and denied the government was pursuing the deal to win unfair access to the American market. He said a trade deal must bring benefits to both sides. "We recognize a good deal must be a fair deal, one that is fair to both sides," Mulroney said.