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Why Carney Isn’t Rushing Back to the Negotiating Table
Confirmed
In Short: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Tuesday reiterated that the United States must adopt a more serious and respectful approach before Canada will return to the negotiating table.
Carney, speaking to reporters outside his office on Parliament Hill, emphasized that the recent American actions, including renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America and criticizing Canada on social media, have not swayed his government's stance.
"What’s a clear message from last night in three very different ridings across this great, diverse country is that Canadians are behind the plan of the government," Carney said, referring to his party's victory in three by-elections.
Carney noted that the US needs to stop what he termed as 'throwing shade' before talks can resume, adding that the tone from the American side must improve.
"The Americans need to start being serious and stop throwing shade before we can restart talks," Carney told reporters.
Carney also highlighted that the US had been unwilling to address issues beyond the automotive industry, which he said was a significant factor in the breakdown of previous negotiations.
"For us, that the U.S. would take some form of reprisal to our response to their unjustified tariffs, which was on top of other unjustified tariffs, that's not a surprise," Carney explained.
The prime minister insisted that any future negotiations must respect Canada's sovereignty and not undermine its industries for short-term gains.
"When the Americans go to the negotiation table first with the right attitude towards our industries and a true partnership, of course we’ll come to the negotiating table," Carney said.
Carney's comments came as he announced an $11 billion contract with Chantier Davie in Quebec to build six new icebreakers for the Canadian Coast Guard.
Québec Premier Christine Fréchette, who joined Carney at the press conference, agreed that cutting off energy to the US is not currently on the table but warned that options are not off the table.
"At some stage you have to say enough is enough," Fréchette told reporters.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy predicted that Ottawa will return to the table because Trump’s tariff agenda will devastate Canada, but Carney warned that any return will come with conditions.
What this adds
The report adds that Carney's stance is firm despite mounting economic pressure from the US.
What's confirmed
- Justin Tang/The Canadian Press Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada is willing to return to the negotiating table once the American side changes its tone.
- Speaking with reporters outside his office on Parliament Hill on Tuesday, Mr. Carney said the Liberal Party’s sweep of three by-elections Monday shows Canadians support his government’s approach to trade and the economy.
- Mr. Carney did not list the various memes and attacks directed at Canada recently, but in the past week, President Donald Trump signed an order to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America and has followed that up with numerous social-media posts criticizing Canada.
- “What’s a clear message from last night in three very different ridings across this great, diverse country is that Canadians are behind the plan of the government,” Mr. Carney said.
- Carney says the United States needs to start being serious and 'stop throwing shade' before talks on a possible trade deal with Canada can restart.
- Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks with the media in Ottawa outside his office on Tuesday after his party swept three by-election races on Monday.
- Carney nominated for appointment to the Senate in July.
What's still developing
- The new head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council on Sunday said Tehran plans to announce a “prohibited zone” outside the Strait of Hormuz aimed at vessels it believes are attempting to transit the waterway, amid the United States’ attempts to squeeze Iran economically to bring it to the negotiating table.
- "Come back to the negotiating table and make a deal." The president added that the two sides were close to reaching an agreement.
- Eleven BRICS members have found one voice, at least at the negotiating table.
- Miad Maleki, senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, tells Fox News Digital that mounting economic pressure could push Iran to escalate in an effort to force Washington back to the negotiating table.
- However, the majority of the questions from reporters were centred on the trade war, which intensified after Trump threatened to hike tariffs on “all cars, trucks, both large and small, automotive parts and steel” to 50 per cent starting January 2027.
- “Build in the U.S. and there are ZERO TARIFFS. Canada will be treated like a State no longer!” he wrote.
- Last week, Carney said talks were torpedoed in part because of disagreements over the “treatment of Canadian content” and because the U.S. was only willing to focus on cars and not medium or heavy vehicles like trucks.
- Sticking to that framing, Carney told reporters Monday that Trump’s most recent threat is telling because it points to the White House’s motivations throughout negotiations.
- “If we need to do more — well, we’ll see. But we’ll begin with positive initiatives like the one we’re talking about here today,” he added in French.
- At his own event in Montreal, Champagne said people should be proud that Carney “stood up” for Canadian values like the protection of French and culture, arguing those were “red lines” in the talks.
- 8, spurring questions about whether both countries could return to the negotiating table in the lead-up to that date.