Canada's Prime Minister Says Government Pushing for Comprehensive Trade Deal With U.S.
By Robb M. Stewart
Canada's government is seeking broad relief from the Trump administration's targeted sectoral tariffs rather than looking to negotiate deals to protect some sectors of the economy.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said his government is looking to secure a comprehensive trade agreement with the U.S. and isn't interested in a very targeted deal that doesn't connect other sectors.
"This is a tough negotiation. We can change the adjective [and] you can say nasty, but I mean this is a question of Canadian jobs. It's a question of the future of Canadian businesses," Carney told reporters following a visit to an aluminum facility in Quebec.
In a speech in Las Vegas on Wednesday, President Trump said the U.S. had over the years been "screwed" by tariffs used by countries including China, Japan, Germany and Canada.
"Canada's nasty. They are. They're nasty," Trump said. "I love the people, but they're nasty. Nasty leadership."
The comments by the two leaders come ahead of an Aug. 19 deadline set by the president for a threatened new 50% tariff on a range of Canadian goods ranging from alcohol to cement and hockey sticks for what the White House said was discriminatory treatment of American products. Ottawa has described the proposed levies as the latest in a series of unilateral U.S. trade actions that began with tariffs it says are in violation of the existing trade pact between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico.
Dominic LeBlanc, the minister for Canada-U.S. trade, and Janice Charette, who Carney earlier in the year named as chief trade negotiator to the U.S., are in Washington this week holding talks with their American counterparts.
"There are many things that the Americans want from Canada," Carney said. "They say they don't want them, but they do want them. It's energy, it's potash, it's critical minerals, it's aluminum. And for us, it's all connected. We're one country. We care about all these sectors."
Write to Robb M. Stewart at robb.stewart@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
August 06, 2026 13:34 ET (17:34 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.The articles, information, and content displayed on this webpage may include materials prepared and provided by third parties. Such third-party content is offered for informational purposes only and is not endorsed, reviewed, or verified by Morningstar.
Morningstar makes no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, or reliability of any third-party content displayed on this site. The views and opinions expressed in third-party content are those of the respective authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Morningstar, its affiliates, or employees.
Morningstar is not responsible for any errors, omissions, or delays in this content, nor for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Users are advised to exercise their own judgment and seek independent financial advice before making any decisions based on such content. The third-party providers of this content are not affiliated with Morningstar, and their inclusion on this site does not imply any form of partnership, agency, or endorsement.
Popular
3 Stocks to Sell and 3 Stocks to Buy for November
3 of the Best Dividend Stocks to Own
The 10 Best Companies to Invest in Now
This Once-Hot AI Stock Now Looks Deeply Undervalued
United States