Prime Minister Mark Carney said that Canada must focus on “things we can control” after U.S. President Donald Trump said he was abruptly ending trade negotiations.
Premiers, union and business leaders have all since weighed in, with Unifor head Lana Payne saying that Canada “can’t negotiate from your knees.”
Trump made the announcement after an Ontario TV ad with anti-tariff messaging aired in the U.S that quoted former Republican president Ronald Reagan.
Carney made the comments Friday morning on the tarmac minutes before boarding a flight to Asia for trade discussions.
“For months we have stressed the importance of distinguishing things we can control and things we cannot control — we can’t control the trade policy of the United States,” said Carney speaking to reporters.
“We recognize that policy has fundamentally changed from the policy in the 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and it’s a situation where the United States has tariffs against every one of their trading partners.”
Carney went on to say “a lot of progress has been made” in the negotiations between Canada and the U.S., and adds that Canada is standing by to continue discussions “when the Americans are ready.”
The Prime Minister’s Office last week had specifically described that trip to Malaysia, Singapore and Korea as being aimed at deepening trade ties.
“The global trade landscape is rapidly changing. In the face of this upheaval, Canada’s new government is focused on transforming our economy from one that is reliant on a single trade partner to one that is stronger and more resilient to global shocks,” the Prime Minister’s Office had said.
Carney has been having intensified trade talks with the U.S. over recent weeks, aimed at the tariffs Trump has imposed on Canada, including those targeting key sectors like steel and aluminum, lumber and automotives.
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During the meeting with Carney in the Oval Office, Trump said on the trade discussions with Canada that he thinks “they’re going to be very happy.”
Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre said in a post on X that “Mark Carney promised to ‘negotiate a win’ with President Trump and to get a deal by July 21st. Still no deal. Still no win.”
“Liberal elbows gone. U.S. tariffs up. Jobs headed south,” he said.
‘You can’t negotiate from your knees’
Ontario Premier Doug Ford took to social media Friday morning to respond to Trump, who has claimed that the ad represented “egregious behavior” aimed at influencing U.S. court decisions.
“Canada and the United States are friends, neighbours and allies. President Ronald Reagan knew that we are stronger together,” said Ford in a post on X.
“God bless Canada and God bless the United States.”
Payne, who is Unifor’s national president, called Trump’s reaction to the ad “fake outrage.”
“There is one thing the Premier of the province hardest hit by the Trump trade war understands: you can’t negotiate from your knees,” she said on X.
“From the start Trump’s intention has been to destroy our industrial base and bully Canada into economic subservience. He has knowingly broken his own commitments under CUSMA. He continues to act in bad faith. Hammering us with tariffs while at a negotiating table with us.”
Payne added: “Trump’s fake outrage over an ad that perhaps hits a little too close to the mark is just his latest ploy to sabotage any progress the Canadian negotiating team might have been making. This is what he does. Any excuse to walk away from the table and keep the pressure on us.”
Meanwhile, some Canadian business leaders are focusing more on the “bigger picture” amid the volatile trade war that has seen unpredictable developments from the Trump administration in the short-term.
“While every ebb and flow in this negotiation is being closely watched, this is 3D chess,” said Candace Laing, president and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in an emailed statement.
“Our negotiators have signaled there will be no quick wins and we need to focus on the long game goal: stable trade. The business community counts on predictability, but day to day we will not lose sight of the bigger picture.”
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew posted a response on social media Friday appearing to support Ford’s ad campaign saying the “ads are good — keep them on TV,” in addition to a video response.
Earlier Thursday night, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute posted on X that the ad created by the government of Ontario “misrepresents the ‘Presidential Radio Address to the Nation on Free and Fair Trade’ dated April 25, 1987.”
It added that Ontario did not receive foundation permission “to use and edit the remarks.”
The foundation said it is “reviewing legal options in this matter” and invited the public to watch the unedited video of Reagan’s address.
On Nov. 5, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on whether Trump can impose tariffs unilaterally under emergency powers.
– More to come.
With files from The Associated Press.
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