President Donald Trump told Canadian leaders on Monday to “fall in line” or face consequences that would be “far WORSE” than the tariffs he has already imposed, as Prime Minister Mark Carney accused Washington of trying to subordinate Canada.
Carney said US trade demands had confirmed Canada’s fears that Washington was seeking to dismantle major Canadian industries. In response, Carney announced dollar-for-dollar retaliation beginning Sept. It was a bad deal. Meanwhile, Ontario Premier Doug Ford unleashed his own tirade.
The fiery words from both sides show how US-Canada relations have deteriorated since Carney walked away from trade negotiations with the Trump administration late Friday, triggering the president’s threatened 50% tariffs the next day on about $20 billion worth of Canadian goods. 8.
Nonetheless, he said Canada remained willing to negotiate, but only if the United States approached the talks as a partnership between sovereign countries. “An attitude at the negotiation table that Canada is a subsidiary of the United States” is “not something we’re going to accept,” Carney said. “We learned during the negotiations that the Americans want to destroy our major industries, including autos, steel and aluminum,” Carney said. “That was one of the main reasons we said no. Carney said Washington’s auto-sector proposals would gradually have the effect of dismantling Canadian production. “This is the most successful automotive partnership in history,” Carney said, referring to the deeply integrated Canada-U.S. industry. In an interview with The Associated Press, he said Trump had underestimated Canadians’ willingness to endure economic pain rather than give in to U.S. pressure.
