Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed uncertainty about resuming trade discussions with the United States, despite apologizing to President Donald Trump for an advertising campaign that led to the abrupt halt of negotiations. When asked about the status of his talks with Trump and the possibility of restarting negotiations, Carney simply responded, “We’ll see.”
During a news conference regarding his government’s recent budget proposal, Carney mentioned that the trade talks have not yet been reignited. He disclosed that his last conversation with Trump occurred last week at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit, where he issued an apology to the president for the controversial TV commercials.
The dispute arose after Trump terminated trade negotiations on October 23 and threatened further punitive tariffs on Canadian products, attributing the decision to an Ontario government-supported ad featuring footage of former U.S. President Ronald Reagan criticizing tariffs. Despite Ontario Premier Doug Ford withdrawing the ad, discussions regarding trade remain at a standstill. Canada is eager to strike a deal to eliminate sector-specific tariffs, particularly those affecting steel and aluminum.
When reporters inquired on Friday if negotiations could recommence between the two administrations, Trump responded negatively but praised Carney as “nice.” Trump emphasized that although he likes Carney, the actions taken were unjust. Carney mentioned on Saturday that he had previewed the ad and advised Ford against airing it.
In a separate statement, Ford indicated that Carney contacted him multiple times from Asia, urging him to retract the TV commercials. Ford acknowledged the challenges faced by Carney in his attempts to engage with the president amid concerns about the terms of a potential agreement.
Additionally, British Columbia Premier David Eby announced the cancellation of plans to broadcast advertisements targeting Trump’s tariffs, citing federal government distress. Eby assured collaboration with the federal government when addressing American audiences in the future. Despite Trump’s threats of imposing an additional 10% tariff on Canadian imports, no official executive order or timeline has been issued yet.