The Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney, defended this Saturday that the country has managed to dodge "a bad deal" with the United States after announcing early this morning the withdrawal of its delegation from trade talks with Washington, after denouncing that the last-minute changes proposed by the U.S. side were "unfair, uneconomic, and called into question the reliability of any agreement."
Carney recalled that the collapse of negotiations automatically triggers a 50% tariff by the United States on Canadian exports, which amount to about 24 billion euros. Nevertheless, he emphasized that, although Canada "cannot control the storm blowing from Washington," it is in a position to "chart a new course" through the "diversification" of its trade links.
In his first intervention before the press after the breakdown of dialogue, the Canadian leader warned Trump about Canada's key role as an energy supplier to the United States. "Canada drives U.S. growth by supplying 99% of its natural gas imports, 85% of its electricity imports, and 60% of its crude oil imports."
The Prime Minister stressed that, with the new conditions imposed by Washington, "the gap between partner and competitor" has become "too large," which is why he ordered his negotiating team to return to Ottawa last night. "We cannot accept what they have offered us, and we will not give them what they have asked for," Carney stated.
He also confirmed that "Canada will respond dollar for dollar to U.S. sanctions in the areas of steel, dairy, agricultural equipment, or paper," a measure adopted "grudgingly" due to the cost it will entail, but which he considers essential because it "serves the best interest of Canada" by reinforcing its external image as a "strong" country and, at the same time, necessary to protect national employment and safeguard the competitiveness of the domestic market.