Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Saturday his country’s relationship with the U.S. might never be the same after the latest round of trade talks broke down.
The two North American nations were thought to be close to finalizing a deal, but trade talks collapsed by week’s end and they appeared to be headed toward a trade war, the Associated Press reported.
By Saturday, the U.S. imposed 50% tariffs on $20 billion worth of Canadian goods, prompting Carney to respond with a promise to retaliate “dollar for dollar” beginning Sept. 8.
Carney said Canada would target steel, dairy, agricultural equipment and other goods.
Before negotiations broke down, U.S. trade representative Jamieson Greer told the New York Times the Trump administration had offered to reduce its tariffs on steel, aluminum and autos, and eliminate a recently imposed tariff on Canadian lumber.
Greer said the offer would have given Canada “the most preferential treatment of any trading partner.”
But the two sides could not close the gap before Friday’s extended deadline.
Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal, agreed that the relationship might never be the same.
“The collapse of the tariff talks points to the fact that the old Canada-U.S. relationship is over and, for many Canadians, it also confirms the perception that Canada can’t trust the Trump administration,” Béland said.
