Canada Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland: "This is a very intense moment in the negotiations." Photo credit: Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Twitter UPDATED: 8/30/18 6:37 pm ET WASHINGTON -- Top NAFTA negotiators from Canada and the United States increased the pace of their negotiations Thursday to resolve final differences to meet a Friday deadline, with their Mexican counterpart on standby to rejoin the talks soon. Despite some contentious issues still on the table, the increasingly positive tone contrasted with President Donald Trump's harsh criticism of Canada in recent weeks, raising hopes that the year-long talks on the North American Free Trade Agreement will conclude soon with a trilateral deal. "We are materially close to an agreement in principle, perhaps as early as tomorrow, end of day," said Flavio Volpe, president of Canada's Automotive Parts Manufacturer's Association, who consults with Canadian negotiators. "The mood is cooper...