Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has written a strongly-worded letter to the prime minister ahead of his upcoming meeting with the U.S. president, expressing disappointment in Mark Carney’s handling of trade issues and urging him to secure beneficial outcomes for Canada.
Poilievre, in the letter disclosed to CBC News, criticized Carney for failing to deliver on his promise to negotiate favorable trade terms and provide tariff relief during the summer. The deadline set by Carney and President Trump for resolving border and fentanyl-related tariffs, as well as the Section 232 tariffs on various Canadian goods, was missed, leading to increased pressure from the U.S. through additional tariffs on lumber and furniture.
Highlighting the escalating tariffs imposed by the U.S. on Canadian products, Poilievre emphasized the need for Carney to push for the removal of tariffs on softwood lumber, steel, aluminum, and automobiles, along with addressing discriminatory Buy American regulations. Poilievre underscored the urgency for Carney to fulfill his commitments and secure wins for Canada in the ongoing trade negotiations.
The meeting scheduled for Tuesday between Carney, several cabinet ministers, and the U.S. president aims to focus on shared economic and security priorities between Canada and the U.S. Poilievre urged Carney to engage with him and other Conservative members to uphold his pledge to negotiate favorable tariff agreements with the U.S.
While Poilievre did not outline specific alternative strategies, he emphasized the importance of fulfilling promises to benefit Canadian workers and businesses. Despite Poilievre’s criticisms, government sources remain cautiously optimistic that Carney can achieve some relief on steel tariffs during his upcoming meeting with Trump.
Laura Dawson, an expert on Canada-U.S. relations, expressed confidence that Carney’s visit to Washington would yield positive progress on trade issues, particularly in securing steel tariff relief. Dawson highlighted the momentum towards favorable outcomes and anticipated significant announcements following Carney’s discussions with President Trump. Canada aims to address key tariff issues before the CUSMA review process begins next year, with expectations of a productive outcome from the ongoing negotiations.