Washington: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has hit back at the Trump administration over its handling of the escalating trade dispute, telling US officials to “start being serious” if they want meaningful talks with Ottawa.
Ottawa has announced retaliatory tariffs on $20 billion worth of American goods, which are scheduled to take effect on September 8. Canada is the United States’ second-largest trading partner and has responded with its own measures.
The United States has imposed 50% tariffs on $20 billion worth of Canadian goods. Carney responded to the comments on Tuesday (September 1), calling the remarks inappropriate for a senior government official. The latest tariff measures scheduled for September 8 will add another layer to the dispute, with businesses on both sides preparing for higher costs and possible disruption to established trade flows. The new tariffs set to take effect on September 8 could increase costs for businesses and disrupt trade between the two countries.
Because ottawa is more exposed to the dispute following the collapse of the talks, greer argued that the economic situation is urgent for Canada.
In an interview with The Guardian, Carney said Canada had been insulted by US officials and questioned whether such remarks were appropriate for people holding senior government positions. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said no trade negotiations are taking place between Washington and Ottawa after talks broke down more than a week earlier. “There are no negotiations happening on trade right now,” he told Politico. The comments are “beneath their office,” he told reporters, adding, “it’s not constructive, but that’s their democracy”.
“It is beneath their office. When the Americans stop doing memes, stop throwing shade, stop trying to be tough and start being serious about having those discussions, we can have those discussions” about trade, he was quoted as saying by the newspaper. Canada and the United States are now locked in a trade confrontation that is affecting one of the world’s biggest bilateral trading relationships. The exchange comes as both governments face the challenge of protecting their domestic economies while dealing with a dispute involving two closely connected markets. Canadian and American companies have extensive cross-border supply chains, with goods and components moving between the two countries across industries.
He criticised personal jabs and social media posts from American officials as the two countries trade tariffs and introduce new measures against each other.
The Guardian reported that Americans could face “extreme pressure” from the combination of US tariffs and Canada’s retaliatory measures, including higher prices for everyday goods. “I don’t think you can be in a tit-for-tat with someone who is 13 times larger than you are,” he told CNBC aand then added, “I mean, we are not at war with Canada. The new Canadian tariffs are expected to affect a range of American products and could add to costs for consumers and businesses on both sides of the border. The trade dispute also took a personal turn when US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was asked about the worsening relationship between Washington and Ottawa during a televised interview. He joked about Canada’s military capabilities while speaking about the possibility of a prolonged confrontation between the two countries. How are we going to be at war with Canada? What, are they going to take their two submarines from the Edmonton Mall and sic them on us? He was referring to a former attraction at a shopping centre in Alberta province.
