Carney asserts U.S. trade concessions driven by midterm election pressures
The Canadian Prime Minister told reporters in Toronto that Washington is shifting closer to Ottawa's position as the U.S. midterm elections approach.
By Lorenzo Patterson ·
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stated Monday that recent trade discussions with Washington show slight momentum, yet he attributed the movement to the United States aligning with Canadian demands.
Carney made the remarks in Toronto eight days before U.S. midterm elections. White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett had recently suggested the two nations were close to finalizing an agreement.
The trade relationship has experienced a volatile timeline over the past month. In August, Canada rejected initial terms from Washington, stating the offer crossed Canadian red lines. Following that rejection, President Donald Trump imposed 50% tariffs on approximately $20 billion in Canadian goods. This action triggered retaliatory measures and additional trade restrictions between the two countries.
On Friday, Trump announced he would lift some 50% tariffs on Canadian products while imposing new duties on other goods. Two days later, at a campaign rally in Michigan, the President claimed Canada was willing to concede much in the negotiations. He told a Detroit television station that a deal might occur before the midterms, though he acknowledged it could take months.
Carney described the current state of negotiations as a slight intensification of dialogue. His office said Canada remains in constructive talks with Washington. When asked if Trump would sign a new deal in pen after previously warning that U.S. agreements were often written in pencil, Carney replied, I don't know that.
The tariff dispute has entered the political arena in closely watched Senate races. Michigan Republican candidate Mike Rogers featured the issue in a campaign ad, stating Canada is not an enemy. In Maine, Republican Senator Susan Collins pressed the administration to ease tariffs on goods used by farmers, a move Washington addressed with Friday's exemptions.
Trump has repeatedly cited the U.S. trade deficit with Canada, though energy exports account for the majority of the gap. The United States runs a trade surplus with Canada when energy is excluded. Carney hosts European Union leaders in Montreal Thursday and Friday to pursue closer ties. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has proposed making Canada the EU's first associate member.
Source: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
