“Canada – USA Tariff Wars”

OTTAWA – Despite accusing the United States of weaponizing the deep integration of its economy with Canada’s, Dominic LeBlanc says he “absolutely” wants the trilateral trade deal including Mexico to remain intact.

“We’ve become overly dependent on one trading partner who has turned around, as the prime minister has also said, and weaponized that very dependency or integration against us,” the Canada-U.S. trade minister said in an interview on CTV Power Play with Vassy Kapelos on Tuesday.

“To sell a tool to China, impossible. To sell a tool to India, impossible. To sell a tool to Europe, highly unlikely.”

Manufacturers won’t survive without a long-term agreement with the U.S.

Mr. Carney’s pivot to China cannot rescue our industries in crisis. pic.twitter.com/71B7O6CRV4

— Raquel Dancho (@RaquelDancho) April 21, 2026

When Mark Carney was the Governor of the Bank of England, he earned the nickname the unreliable boyfriend. He earned the nickname for his habit of giving off mixed signals on interest rates — hot one day and cold the next.

The unreliable boyfriend fits when it comes to Carney and his inability to have a coherent message on Canada’s relationship with the United States.

There is something almost too convenient in how quickly Canadians point south when discussing unpredictability in trade. Yes, Donald Trump has long been synonymous with volatility. But focusing solely on Washington risks missing a more uncomfortable truth: Ottawa has become just as difficult to read.

Under Mark Carney, Canada’s posture toward the United States has shifted with surprising speed—less theatrical than Trump’s, but no less consequential. In April 2025, we were promised a renewed economic and security partnership. By the summer, we were told the existing deal was already the best possible outcome. Fast forward to April 2026, and suddenly our reliance on the U.S. is framed as a strategic weakness. All of this, notably, after months without meaningful engagement or negotiation.

Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Sunday video was a master class in crisis communications. He reminded Canadians of his credentials managing tough times. He described the urgent challenges Canada faces. He explained what he is doing to tackle them. He promised not to “sugarcoat” anything. He appealed to Canadians’ patriotism. And he promised to keep us posted: bookmark this YouTube channel for the next episode.

The Trump administration is demanding what amounts to an “entry fee” from Canada to engage in trade talks toward a revised Canada-United States-Mexico Free Trade Agreement (CUSMA), four sources told Radio-Canada.

“The Americans are setting conditions before negotiations begin,” said one high-ranking individual familiar with the matter.

Three sources used the term “entry fee” to describe concessions the U.S. administration is seeking before formal trade talks begin.