Canada and U.S. advance in trade talks as Washington shows more flexibility
Select a version of the text written from a presumed ideological perspective. This is not the original text, but a hypothetical version — how someone with that viewpoint might have phrased it. Tapping the current version again will return to the original or select cleaned version.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said negotiations with the United States have made progress, with the White House softening on several issues Canada had opposed.
Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters in Antigua that Canada and the United States have moved forward in their trade talks, although additional work is still needed before any deal can be completed. He said the United States is now "asking less and offering more," and that "more intense negotiations" have begun after the talks broke down in August.
Carney said the improvement comes from changes in the White House position on matters Canada had previously treated as non-negotiable, including requirements for French-language content on streaming services and restrictions on Canada’s ability to pursue trade agreements with other countries. "Those are now off the table. That's very welcome," he said.
Although the prime minister did not identify the remaining areas of dispute, the automotive sector is expected to be a major issue, as it was during the August collapse that led to reciprocal tariffs. President Trump has indicated to 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.