Carney says Canada rejected U.S. trade terms that threatened key industries

Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada rejected U.S. demands during recent trade negotiations that could have left key Canadian industries, including the automotive sector, effectively controlled by American companies or gradually eliminated.

Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Carney said U.S. negotiators pushed for significant concessions during trade talks last month.

“The attitude of the United States in these discussions, and subsequently, has been one that core Canadian industries either would be subsidiaries effectively of the United States industries, or would put in place terms where those industries would be gradually wound down in Canada and wiped out,” Carney said.

“Of course, we're not going to accept those terms.”

Canada and the United States had been engaged in intensive negotiations aimed at resolving trade disputes between the two countries. However, shortly before a U.S.-imposed Aug. 22 deadline, Carney suspended the negotiations and called Canada’s negotiating team home.

Despite the breakdown in talks, Carney said negotiators had made progress in some areas, noting there were “mutually beneficial” elements of a potential agreement in place before discussions collapsed.