Mark Carney rejects US trade deal, criticizes Trump’s tariffs as talks collapse

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney pulled the plug on trade negotiations with the United States on August 21, suspending bilateral talks after discussions failed to produce what Ottawa considered an acceptable outcome. The move came just before a midnight deadline, with Carney citing sluggish progress toward Canadian objectives and what he described as unfair last-minute modifications to US proposals. Within hours, the Trump administration made the consequences tangible: new tariffs of 50% on approximately $20 billion worth of Canadian exports, covering everything from hockey equipment to building materials. Canada’s response was swift and symmetrical, with Carney pledging retaliatory tariffs on a dollar-for-dollar basis. How the talks fell apart The collapse is especially jarring because, just days earlier, there had been genuine optimism that the two sides might reach a deal. President Trump had even announced a tariff pause during earlier rounds of discussion, a gesture that briefly cooled tensions along the world’s longest undefended border. That goodwill evaporated quickly. The US Trade Representative pointed to Canada’s refusal to accept previously negotiated terms as a key ...