Canada’s Carney says US must ‘start being serious’ to resolve trade dispute

What the report says

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Tuesday sharply criticized the United States’ handling of the worsening trade dispute, saying Washington needs to approach talks more seriously before meaningful negotiations can resume. Speaking in Ottawa, Carney responded to public jabs from US President Donald Trump and senior US officials, framing the exchange as part of a broader breakdown in relations between the two neighbours.

According to Al Jazeera’s reporting, the dispute intensified after talks collapsed on August 22, when the US imposed 50 percent tariffs on about $20bn worth of Canadian goods. Canada has said it will respond with tariffs on a similar amount of US products beginning September 8. Carney accused the Trump administration of making late demands that would have constrained Canada’s trade policy and, he said, weakened protections for French language and culture.

Carney also emphasized that Canada is a sovereign state and will choose its own trade partners. His remarks came after Trump and officials including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made disparaging comments about Canada and its military. Trump has also taken symbolic steps, including an executive order directing federal agencies to call Lake Ontario “Lake America.”

The standoff has become politically and economically significant because the two countries are deeply integrated trading partners, and the tensions have fueled nationalist sentiment in Canada amid concerns about tariff-related economic damage.