Canada and U.S. inch forward in trade talks as pressure eases on Ottawa’s red lines
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Prime Minister Mark Carney said the U.S. has backed off several hardline demands in trade negotiations, allowing talks to move ahead after a breakdown in August.
Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters in Antigua that Canada and the United States have moved forward in their trade talks, though much more still has to be done before anything can be signed. He said the United States is now "asking less and offering more," and that "more intense negotiations" have started after the talks collapsed in August.
Carney said the shift reflects changes in the White House position on issues Canada had treated as non-negotiable, including requirements for French-language content on streaming services and limits on Canada’s right to pursue trade agreements with other countries. "Those are now off the table. That's very welcome," he said, underscoring how Washington has stepped back from some of its most aggressive demands.
While the prime minister did not spell out the remaining sticking points, the automotive sector is expected to remain central, as it did during the August breakdown that triggered reciprocal tariffs. President Trump has told Fox News that his administration is close to finalising a trade agreement with Canada. Carney said he will meet President Trump later this month at the APEC summit in China.