7 Feb: A recent Nanos Research poll conducted for CTV News has revealed that Liberal leadership candidate Mark Carney is the preferred choice among Canadians to negotiate with U.S. President Donald Trump over trade and economic issues. The survey found that 40% of respondents believe Carney would handle negotiations best, significantly ahead of Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, who received 26% support.
Among other Liberal leadership candidates, Chrystia Freeland garnered 13%, while Karina Gould had only 1%. Additionally, 12% of respondents were uncertain, and 9% felt that the choice of negotiator would not make a difference.
Canada-U.S. Trade Tensions Escalate Over Tariffs
The survey comes amid rising tensions between Canada and the United States following Trump’s recent executive order imposing a 25% tariff on Canadian imports, excluding energy products, which face a 10% tariff. In response, Canada announced retaliatory measures, listing $30 billion in U.S. products that would be subjected to counter-tariffs, with an additional $125 billion in tariffs to follow after 21 days. However, a phone call between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and President Trump led to a 30-day pause on implementing these measures.
Growing Support for Immediate Retaliation
The poll also indicates a sharp increase in support for immediate retaliatory action against U.S. tariffs. 58% of Canadians now favor imposing counter-tariffs on U.S. goods, compared to just 29% in December 2024. Meanwhile, 21% still believe negotiations should be prioritized to lift tariffs, down from 47% in December. Only 14% believe Canada should avoid escalating tensions, while 4% support an all-out trade war, and 3% remain unsure.
Canadians Support Various Retaliatory Measures
When asked about specific countermeasures, the majority of Canadians back strong actions against the U.S.:
- 78% support removing U.S. alcohol products from Canadian store shelves.
- 68% support dollar-for-dollar counter tariffs on U.S. imports.
- 51% support halting exports of oil, natural gas, and electricity to the U.S., with another 25% somewhat in favor of the move.
Defence Spending Also a Key Issue
Trump has also pressured Canada to increase its NATO defence spending, criticizing the country for not meeting the 2% of GDP target. He has even suggested increasing the target to 5% for NATO allies.
The Nanos survey found that 64% of Canadians support increasing defence spending to meet the 2% target, while 12% favor raising it further to 5%. However, 14% prefer maintaining the current 1.37% spending level, and 6% support reducing the defence budget.
Survey Methodology
The Nanos Research poll surveyed 1,077 Canadians aged 18 and older between January 31 and February 3, 2025, through a hybrid of telephone and online responses.
As Canada navigates its trade relationship with the U.S., the findings reflect growing public support for strong countermeasures and a desire for strong leadership in economic diplomacy.
