Mr. Carney said Canada is ready for an agreement that benefits both Canadian and U.S. businesses and workers.
Published September 3, 2026
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said his government is ready to sign a trade deal with the United States that benefits both countries, adding that any deal must have stability and credibility.
“A possible agreement that is in the interest of Canadian workers, families and businesses is also an agreement that is in the interest of American families, American businesses and American consumers,” Carney told reporters in Thunder Bay, Ont., on Thursday.
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Carney’s comments came after trade negotiations between the United States and Canada broke down in the final stages last month. Since then, the U.S. has imposed 50% tariffs on $20 billion worth of Canadian goods, and Ottawa’s retaliatory tariffs on the same amount are expected to take effect next week. The United States also threatened to impose a 50% tariff on all Canadian cars and auto parts starting January 1.
Carney dismissed recent comments by U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent that Canada withdrew from the trade deal because of domestic politics, saying in response to a question: “With all due respect, I do not believe that U.S. appointed, non-elected ministers are experts on Canadian politics.”
Mr. Carney suggested that the U.S. approach to trade deals has softened recently, which could spur further discussions.
“There were some issues that the United States was discussing until the very end,” he said, adding that there was a “our way or the highway” attitude before talks broke down last month. “That’s not the case now,” he said. “So all of a sudden they don’t care about Canadian language and culture and those elements. Well, if they don’t care, they shouldn’t have kept them in the agreement,” Carney said. “That’s good. We welcome it.”
Shortly after Carney’s speech, US President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that it would be a very good thing for a Canadian politician like Prime Minister Mark Carney to make President Donald J. Trump an ‘enemy’, warning that the country’s economy would collapse and it would be “worse than anything that has ever happened to a Canadian politician.”
export shift
The United States is Canada’s largest trading partner, with historically nearly 80% of exports going to the United States. But since President Trump imposed a flurry of tariffs on the country last year, Ottawa has worked to reduce its dependence.
The U.S. accounted for 66.35 per cent of Canada’s total exports in July, down from 69.39 per cent in June and 72.64 per cent a year earlier, according to Thursday’s data from Statistics Canada.
But data shows Canada’s dependence on U.S. imports has only shrunk to 59% in the past 12 months, compared to 62% in 2024.
Carney also announced plans on Thursday to spend C$4.7 billion ($3.4 billion) to build and maintain more than 300 Via Rail passenger rail cars in Canada using facilities in Quebec and Thunder Bay, shifting away from imports from the United States.
