Canada Refuses to Cave to U.S. Pressure, Says Any Trade Deal Must Put Canadians First
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Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada will not rush into a trade agreement with the United States and will only accept a deal that respects Canada’s red lines and serves Canadians, even as Washington talks up progress and tariffs continue to bite.
Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters that Ottawa is not yet prepared to sign a trade agreement with the United States, making clear that Canada will not be bullied into a bad deal. He said any pact must be "when it suits Canadians," and stressed that the government is still seeking "the right deal for Canadians" rather than a fast compromise that fails to protect national interests. Carney said the current talks do not meet Canada’s bottom lines.
"We think there's deals that are in the best interests of Canada, first and foremost, but also are in the interests of the United States. That's always been the case. We've been consistent," Carney said.
"If those deals present themselves, we will pursue them. But we're not at that position right now," he added.
President Donald Trump recently claimed progress, telling a rally in Michigan that the United States is ready to give Canada whatever is needed to settle the matter. But Canadian sources say that the central issues remain unresolved, underscoring that Washington’s upbeat talk does not match the reality of the negotiations and that an agreement is not imminent.
Negotiations collapsed in August, leading Washington to impose steep tariffs on Canadian products and prompting Ottawa to respond with equivalent levies. Carney repeated that Canada will only sign an agreement that respects its clear red lines, which were rejected in the August proposals, and said a deal becomes more likely only if the United States moves toward accepting those conditions.