Canada’s Carney aims for trade deal with US

Ottawa: After securing a majority government in Canada last week, PM Mark Carney faces his biggest challenge: redefining trade with the US under President Donald Trump, Reuters reports.

Canada, the US and Mexico must agree by July 1 ​to keep the deal as is, insulating most Canadian goods from US tariffs, renegotiate it, or hold annual reviews until its 2036 expiry. Carney, under US pressure for concessions, will push for a revised deal this year that addresses tariffs against Canadian steel, aluminum and autos.

Ahead of three special elections swept by Carney’s Liberals last week, the PM said he needed a parliamentary majority to deal more effectively with Trump’s trade war. After a year in office, political insiders and analysts say Carney must deliver on his promise to transform the Canadian economy and negotiate with Trump. 

While Carney has earned plaudits globally for his call to middle powers to band together against global hegemons and signed new global trade deals, Canadians ​now expect him to address the US tariffs, along with domestic concerns, they said.