Carney Says Canada-U.S. Trade Talks Have Picked Up Slightly, Credits Washington's Movement

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Monday, October 26, that trade talks with the Trump administration have picked up slightly. He described a "slight, slight intensification" of discussions and said any progress reflects Washington moving toward Canada's demands, not Ottawa making concessions. Canada's negotiating position has not changed, he said.

The talks follow a breakdown in August, when Carney said a U.S. offer crossed Canadian "red lines" and Canada walked away. Trump then imposed 50% tariffs on roughly $20 billion in Canadian goods, and Canada retaliated. Trump said on Friday, October 23, that he would lift some of those tariffs while imposing new ones on dozens of other products. White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett has suggested the two countries are close to a deal, and Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc's office said Canada remains in "constructive dialogue" with Washington.

Asked whether Trump would "sign in pen" rather than "in pencil", Carney said: "I don't know that." At a Michigan rally, Trump said Canada was "willing to give us anything at this moment" and that a deal would be settled "pretty soon," possibly before the November 3 midterms, though it could take months.

The tariffs have become a campaign issue in closely watched Senate races, including Michigan and Maine. Energy makes up more of the trade picture than the overall deficit, since the U.S. buys millions of barrels of Canadian oil daily. Carney has also been seeking new export markets, and he hosts European Union leaders in Montreal on Thursday and Friday. What any agreement would contain has not been made public.