- Canada suspends US trade talks due to last-minute changes.
- PM Carney calls US terms "unfair" and "uneconomic".
- Canada to match US tariffs "dollar for dollar".
Canada-US Trade Talks: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Saturday announced the suspension of the trade talks with the United States due to the last-minute changes by the US administration. In his statement shared on X, Carney, while calling these changes "unfair" and "uneconomic", stated that the talks will not continue. This announcement came a day after US President Donald Trump said that America "should be able to make a deal with Canada".
In his statement, the Canadian prime minister stated that the recent progress in talks was not enough to protect the interests of Canada's small and medium-sized businesses. He further stated that the talks were not fulfilling Ottawa's objectives of securing tariff-free access for its businesses. Carney emphasised that his government tried to establish talks with the Trump administration over the past 18 months.
My statement on Canada-U.S. trade negotiations: pic.twitter.com/65OuQH40ra
— Mark Carney (@MarkJCarney) August 22, 2026
"Over the past 18 months, Canada's new government has focused on building our strength at home, diversifying our partnerships abroad, and striking a fair deal with the United States," said Carney in a statement. "Last-minute changes in the US proposed terms were unfair, uneconomic, and called into question the reliability of any deal," the Canadian prime minister added.
Carney Slams US Administration
Carney further slammed the Trump administration by highlighting its trade strategy of imposing high tariffs on its close allies. He further directed the Canadian trade negotiators to return to Ottawa, adding that the latest changes have raised questions about the reliability of the deal.
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How Will Canada Retaliate?
The Canadian administration stated that the US is set to impose a hefty 50 per cent tariff on its products from midnight, adding that it will respond with similar tariffs "dollar for dollar". In his statement, Carney asserted that Canada will continue to strengthen its domestic economy to reduce its dependence on the US. He further assured the additional measures in the coming months to support Canadian workers and businesses.