Carney Reports 'Good Conversation' With Trump as Trade Talks Continue

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Sunday he had a "good conversation" with U.S. President Donald Trump on the future of Canada-U.S. trade, adding that their talk "builds on our recent constructive discussions" over the outlines of a possible trade deal. A spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office said the conversation took place Saturday.

"Our teams will now be working in the coming weeks to deliver that outcome," Carney said on social media Sunday morning, describing a possible "mutually beneficial trade deal" as one that would "create jobs for our workers, boost affordability for families, and fully respect Canada's languages, culture, and sovereignty."

A senior Canadian source told CBC News it remains unclear what form the talks will take, after earlier suggestions that formal negotiations were set to begin again. A source familiar with the discussions told Radio-Canada that "key elements" of the discussions remain unresolved, adding, "We are not on the verge of an agreement just yet."

Speaking to reporters on Sunday evening, Trump said that "we have the concept of a deal that's going to be great for our farmers, great for our country, and it will be fine for Canada." A White House spokesperson said in a statement that "the Trump Administration welcomes continued engagement with Canada as we work toward finalizing the details of a deal that will deliver meaningful results for the American people."

The exchange comes ahead of Tuesday's U.S. midterm elections, where the Canada-U.S. trade dispute has emerged as an issue among some candidates, particularly in border states where the trade war is unpopular. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre on Sunday encouraged Carney to "get a great deal," saying everyday Canadians cannot afford to wait. "The Prime Minister promised in the last election he would get an even better deal than we had before. He's broken that promise so far," Poilievre said.

After a flurry of negotiations in August, Canadian and American negotiators failed to reach an agreement, and both countries imposed steep duties on one another. Carney has said one of the main reasons he walked away was that Washington demanded terms that would "destroy" big Canadian industries, including the auto, steel and aluminum sectors. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick claimed Canadian negotiators only brought up tariff relief on medium- and heavy-duty trucks at the last minute, alleging they did so to kill the deal.

Carney told reporters Wednesday that Canada is not yet in a position to agree to a U.S. trade deal and that Ottawa is looking for the right agreement for Canadians. "We think there's deals that are in the best interests of Canada, first and foremost, but also are in the interests of the United States. That's always been the case. We've been consistent," he said.

(Featured image: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Photo: European Union, via Wikimedia Commons.)