US President Donald Trump said his country may not reach a new trade agreement with Canada and could simply impose more or higher prices on his northern neighbor – something he threatens to do in a week.
“We haven’t really been very lucky with Canada,” Trump told journalists outside the White House on Friday in response to a question on the state of tariff discussions with American business partners.
“I think Canada could be the one where there is only one price, not really a negotiation,” he said, before going on a trip to Scotland. This is the first time that Trump spoke publicly about the state of the talks with Canada in almost two weeks.
Trump sent a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney on July 10, threatening To strike Canada with 35% rates on August 1.
This rate would apply to Canadian exports currently pricing at 25%, under Trump’s emergency powers, citing the national security threat to fentanyl trafficking. Most Canadian goods are exempt from this rate, provided they respect the North American content rules of the Canada-American-Mexico (CUSMA) agreement.
In addition, Canadian steel and aluminum faces a 50% rate that the United States has imposed on such imports from all countries, while the American Canadian energy and potash rate is set at 10%.
Although the deadline of August 1 of the American president Donald Trump approaches rapidly, there is not yet a sign of a breakthrough on a new trade agreement in Canada-US after a week of talks in Washington, DC Ottawa continues to say that this will not sign anything that is not in the best interests of Canada.
Trump made his comments after a journalist asked him what he expected next Friday, the date set to impose new or higher prices for many largest business partners in the United States.
“August 1 will come and we will have most of our finished offers, if not all,” said Trump. He spoke of progress in talks with Australia, the European Union and China, but distinguished Canada to criticize.
‘I was not focused on’ Canada
“We do not agree with Canada; we did not focus on them,” said Trump.
Trump’s comments are the last nail in the coffin of Canada’s prospects for an agreement on the deadline of the American president, Carney and his government sending many signals, they do not hurry to sign an agreement.
During a visit to Washington on Thursday, the best commercial negotiators in Canada Minimize the probability They will get an agreement by August 1.
“We will continue to work on the deadline of August 1,” said Canada Minister Dominic Leblanc. “But all these deadlines are understanding that we will take the time necessary to obtain the best deal that we think we are in the interest of the Canadian economy and Canadian workers.”
Earlier this week, Carney had told a press conference that his goal was “do not conclude an agreement whatever it costs. “”
After Carney met the Prime Ministers of Canada, Tim Houston of Nova Scotia said that the Prime Minister was not ready to sign an agreement before the deadline.
Do not have research state like Canada and Us
Trump did not give any details on the United States on Friday, Trump has made the United States to reach a tariff agreement with Canada.
In the past, he complained about the security of the fentanyl border and trafficking, despite little evidence that Canada is an important source of illegal migrants or illicit drugs in the United States
Trump also opposed a service tax project provided by online giants such as Amazon, Apple, Google and Netflix and canceled commercial discussions with Canada until it left. This quickly prompted Carney’s government to remove it.
He was the subject of Canadian measures to limit imports of American dairy products – and did it during his first mandate as president – but the Government of Carney promised a discourse on the throne in May to protect the management of the offer.
Look | Lutnick: Most of Canada’s goods come into American fare: without a price:
The American secretary of trade, Howard Lunick, told CBS News that it was “silly” to think that free trade between Canada and the United States is dead, but also suggested that the prices would remain on certain Canadian products.
The last time Trump spoke publicly about commercial discussions with Canada was in an interview on July 14 with Gary O’Donoghue de la BBC.
“We are negotiating with Canada at the moment and we will see how it all works. I think it will work very well,” said Trump at the time.
Trump’s secretary of trade, Howard Lunick, met head-on with Leblanc this week, the Canadian minister describing the discussion as productive and cordial.
Leblanc said he had the intention of returning to Washington next week to continue the talks, that he was spearheading alongside Canada’s main American commercial negotiator, Ambassador Kirsten Hillman.
