Prime Minister Mark Carney has not hinted at any immediate resumption of trade discussions with the United States, despite offering an apology to U.S. President Donald Trump following the abrupt halt of negotiations over an advertising campaign.
During a recent news conference on his government’s new budget, Carney was asked about the status of his talks with Trump and the possibility of restarting negotiations. His response was simply, “We’ll see.”
The prime minister confirmed that discussions have not yet been revived, mentioning his last conversation with Trump during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit last week, where he apologized to the president regarding the TV advertisements.
The trade talks were cut off by Trump on October 23, with a promise of imposing more punitive tariffs on Canadian products. This action was in response to an Ontario government-supported campaign that featured clips of former U.S. president Ronald Reagan criticizing tariffs.
Although Ontario Premier Doug Ford withdrew the advertisement, the prospects of resuming trade discussions remain bleak. Canada is eager to reach an agreement to eliminate sector-specific tariffs, particularly on steel and aluminum.
In response to questions from reporters, Trump indicated that negotiations with Canada would not resume, while commending Carney as “nice.” Despite his favorable opinion of Carney, Trump criticized the actions taken, stating, “I like him a lot, but you know, what they did was wrong,” while aboard Air Force One.
Carney disclosed that he had previewed the advertisement before its release and had advised Ford against it. Ford, however, had a differing recollection of their discussions, acknowledging that Carney had contacted him multiple times from Asia requesting the ad’s removal.
Acknowledging the delicate situation, Ford stated, “I fully understand the position he’s in. He’s trying to talk to the president, but the president was going to give us a terrible deal.”
Furthermore, British Columbia Premier David Eby announced the termination of a plan to launch adverts targeting Trump’s tariffs, citing concerns raised by the federal government. Eby expressed a commitment to collaborate with the federal government when engaging with Americans directly in the future.
Although Trump has threatened to impose an additional 10% tariff on Canadian imports, no executive order has been issued, and a specific implementation date has not been provided.