Prime Minister Mark Carney has refrained from hinting at the resumption of trade discussions with the United States, despite apologizing to U.S. President Donald Trump for the abrupt termination of negotiations due to an advertisement campaign. When asked about the status of his conversations with Trump and the possibility of restarting negotiations, Carney simply responded, “We’ll see.”
During a news conference regarding his government’s recently introduced budget, Carney mentioned that the talks have not been revived yet. He last spoke with Trump at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit, where he expressed regret over the TV commercials. The trade negotiations were cut off by Trump on October 23, with a threat of additional punitive tariffs on Canadian products, attributing it to an Ontario government-supported campaign featuring negative remarks from former U.S. President Ronald Reagan on tariffs.
Although Ontario Premier Doug Ford withdrew the ad, the trade talks remain at a standstill. Canada is keen on reaching an agreement to eliminate sector-specific tariffs, particularly on steel and aluminum. Trump, in response to reporters on Friday, ruled out the possibility of resuming negotiations with Canada while commending Carney as “nice.”
Carney mentioned that he had previewed the ad and had advised Ford against airing it before it was broadcast. Ford, on the other hand, recalled a different version of their discussion, acknowledging that Carney had called him multiple times from Asia requesting the withdrawal of the TV spots.
B.C. Premier David Eby declared the cessation of a campaign aimed at Trump’s tariffs, as it had caused concern for the federal government. Eby confirmed that they would collaborate with the federal government when engaging directly with Americans in the future. Despite Trump’s threat of imposing an additional 10% tariff on Canadian imports, no executive order has been issued, and no specific date has been set.