Canada is prepared to wait for the next US administration for a trade deal if it fails to negotiate acceptable terms with President Donald Trump. This was stated by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in an interview with POLITICO.
“If that means waiting a few months or even longer, until the next administration, Canada is prepared to wait“, Carney was quoted by the publication as saying. According to him, Ottawa can sign a deal immediately, but only if it meets the country's interests.
The statement comes amid ongoing tensions between Washington and Ottawa over tariffs on Canadian goods and the Canadian government's retaliatory measures. The talks between the two countries come as the Trump administration seeks a political outcome before the US midterm elections in November.
Ottawa does not want a deal at all costs
Carney said that Canada is not ready to accept a treaty that limits its ability to pursue independent economic policy or puts Canadian companies at a disadvantage. He pointed out that the progress so far has come as the US side has moved closer to the Canadian position.
“We are ready to sit down and make a deal when the Americans are ready“, the prime minister said in a separate statement, quoted by Canadian media. Carney stressed that for Ottawa, the main issue remains the content of the agreement, not the political deadline set by Washington.
Canada has already announced measures to support industries affected by US tariffs, and Carney's government is accelerating efforts to expand trade relations with other countries. Among the priorities are the European Union and Asian markets, so that the Canadian economy does not depend to the same extent on access to the United States.
The next political term is 2028.
If negotiations with the Trump administration do not yield results, Carney's position allows for talks to be left for the next US president after the 2028 elections. This would mean maintaining the current uncertainty for businesses and continuing the tariff dispute for a longer period.
At the same time, trade relations between the two countries remain tied to the current US-Mexico-Canada agreement. The Canadian government insists that any new agreement or change must provide predictable access to the US market, without Ottawa making unilateral concessions.
Sources: nationalnewswatch.com, globalnews.ca, finance.yahoo.com