Canada’s Prime Minister, Mark Carney, is wasting no time, following U.S. President Donald Trump’s surprise 90-day pause on global tariffs excluding China, Carney described the move as a “welcome reprieve” for the global economy in a post on X.
Carney announced that Canada would begin negotiating a new economic and security pact with the United States right after the country’s 28th of April federal election.
The once-solid trade relationship between the two neighbours has been under pressure. Both countries are still each other’s largest trading partners, but recent tensions over foreign policy and trade have stirred friction.
Though Canada avoided the brunt of Trump’s latest tariff wave, it hasn’t been immune. U.S. levies on Canadian steel, aluminum, and automobiles had already hit hard.
In response, Canada started enforcing a 25 percent tariff on select U.S. auto exports on the 9th of April, 2025, in retaliation for Washington’s import duties.
Trump, during his briefing on the 9th of April, hinted at the possibility of new trade deals with other nations.
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Carney, in the same X post, raised concerns, warning it might trigger a broad restructuring of the global trade order.
He added that Canada would keep strengthening ties with partners that value “the free and open exchange of goods, services, and ideas.”
Carney, who replaced Justin Trudeau last month, leads the Liberal Party, which polls show is likely to stay in power.