Prime Minister Mark Carney is rejecting calls for Ottawa to push back at the U.S. with new retaliatory trade measures as talks with Washington continue on sector-specific trade deals.
"There's times to hit back and there's times to talk, and right now is the time to talk," Carney said at a news conference in Toronto on Thursday.
In a speech at the Empire Club of Canada in Toronto on Tuesday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford called on Carney to hit the U.S. hard if Canada can't reach a deal on trade with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.
“President Trump could agree to something one day and he’ll wake up and change his mind the next day, and you won’t even know what hit you,” Ford said. “I mentioned to the prime minister, yes, we have to strike a deal with the U.S., but you can’t get rolled over by this guy.
"If he can’t get a deal, we have to hit back," Ford added.
Carney said Thursday Ottawa is engaged in "deep" and "intensive" negotiations with the U.S. on several tariffed sectors, including energy, aluminum and steel, and that he would brief the premier on how those are talks are progressing.
Ford said last week the prime minister should sit down with the premiers and explain how the behind-the-scenes trade negotiations are going.
Carney also said Thursday he and Ford would discuss tariffs affecting the automotive, forestry and manufacturing sectors, and the coming review of Canada's free-trade agreement with the U.S. and Mexico.
"What will make the biggest difference … is where we end up … following the review of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico trade agreement, which is coming very shortly. So, the strategy has to take all of that into account and deliver the results," Carney said.
In a social media post Thursday evening, Carney said he dropped by Ford's home in Etobicoke.
He said the pair spoke about getting major projects built, the government’s plan to toughen bail and sentencing laws and measures to support workers and industries affected by tariffs.
"My thanks to the Premier for his partnership," Carney said. "Together, we’re working to create more certainty, security, and prosperity for the people of Ontario."
Earlier, the prime minister said Canada is starting from a strong position with a "better deal than any other country in the world," since the bulk of Canada's trade with the U.S. remains free.
"With the exception of Mexico, which has significant free trade with the United States, the deals the Americans have signed with everyone else has tariffs on the core of the trade, and then higher tariffs on strategic sectors," Carney said.
"So, we're starting from this stronger position, but we're also very acutely aware and very focused on the fact that we can make it better, and so we will do everything we can to make it better."
Dominic LeBlanc, the federal minister responsible for Canada-U.S. trade, is back 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.
He remained behind in D.C. for several days of meetings last week, and has returned to Washington this week to continue those talks.
On Monday, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is expected to call for the House of Commons to hold an emergency debate on the crisis in Canada’s automotive sector.
Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Patrick Doyle
