Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada is maintaining a “quite firm” approach in ongoing trade negotiations with the United States, insisting discussions remain constructive despite President Donald Trump’s threat to impose 50 per cent tariffs on a broad range of Canadian imports beginning August 19.
Speaking in Toronto on Wednesday, Carney said there is still time to reach an agreement and rejected suggestions that Canada should change its negotiating strategy.
“We have time. We have real negotiations, constructive negotiations on several issues,” Carney said, adding that now is not the time to alter Canada’s approach.
Canada’s trade negotiations are being led by Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc and chief trade negotiator Janice Charette, who are in Washington for another round of meetings with U.S. officials. The pair also met U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer during talks last week.
The proposed U.S. tariffs would apply to a wide range of Canadian goods and, unlike previous measures, would not exempt products that comply with the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).
The White House has said the planned tariffs are linked to concerns over provincial alcohol restrictions, Canada’s dairy supply management system and automotive quotas.
Carney said Canada has various options available but declined to comment on reports that Ottawa is considering export quotas on steel and aluminum as part of negotiations.
“This is not the time to trigger the options, but we have options,” he said.
The latest dispute comes after Washington announced in July that it would not renew CUSMA in its current form, instead launching an annual review process that could continue for up to 10 years before the agreement expires in 2036 if no new deal is reached.
Canada hopes the ongoing negotiations will reduce or eliminate U.S. tariffs on key sectors, including steel and aluminum, while preserving long-term trade stability between the two countries.
