Carney briefing Premier Ford on trade talks with U.S.

Prime Minister Mark Carney says he will brief Ontario Premier Doug Ford today on Canada's negotiations with the U.S. on sectoral trade deals.

Carney says Ottawa is engaged in deep and intensive negotiations with the U.S. on several sectors, including energy, aluminum and steel, and he'll discuss with the premier the tariffs affecting the automotive, forestry and manufacturing sectors.

Ford said just last week that if Carney can’t reach a deal to end the U.S. tariffs, Ottawa should start hitting back hard with retaliatory measures.

Ford also said Carney should sit down with the premiers to explain how trade talks are progressing.

Dominic LeBlanc, the federal minister responsible for Canada-U.S. trade, is in Washington this week to continue talks with senior U.S. officials.

Shortly after Carney met with Trump at the White House last week, LeBlanc said the prime minister had tasked him with "quickly" reaching sector-specific agreements with the U.S. on steel, aluminum and energy.

Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Patrick Doyle