WASHINGTON -- Stephen Harper has come out against his successor's handling of NAFTA negotiations with the United States.

He criticizes the Trudeau Liberals in a memo titled, "Napping on NAFTA."

The memo was obtained by The Canadian Press and it criticizes the government in several ways: For rejecting U.S. proposals outright, insisting on negotiating with Mexico, and promoting liberal priorities like labour, gender, environment and aboriginal issues.

The former prime minister says the NAFTA talks are going, in his words, "very badly," that the talks are in "real trouble," and the Liberal government had better get its head around this reality.

That assessment comes in a two-page note from the firm Harper & Associates, signed by chairman Stephen Harper.

The current government calls the letter ill-timed and perplexing: Liberal officials say Harper is essentially calling on the Canadian government to make concessions, and they say this note from a high-profile Canadian is a gift to the U.S. negotiating side.