US President Donald Trump says he had an “extraordinarily productive” first name with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, amid an ongoing commerce warfare between the 2 neighbours.
In a Fact Social publish, Trump stated that the 2 will meet “instantly” after Canada’s upcoming elections on 28 April to debate “politics, enterprise, and all different components”.
Carney, presently within the midst of an election marketing campaign, described the decision as “very constructive”, including that he instructed the president that Canada “will implement retaliatory tariffs to guard Canadian staff”.
Trump’s deliberate 25% tariffs on car imports is to come back into impact on 2 April, which might be devastating for the Canadian automotive business.
Traditionally, Canadian leaders prioritise an early name with their US counterpart quickly after changing into prime minister.
The decision between Carney and Trump, nonetheless, is the primary because the new prime minister took workplace on 14 March.
The Canadian prime minister’s workplace stated the 2 leaders agreed to start complete negotiations a couple of new financial and safety relationship instantly following the election.
“Within the interim, the leaders agreed that conversations between the Minister of Worldwide Commerce and Intergovernmental Affairs and President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada, Dominic LeBlanc, and the US Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick, will intensify to handle quick considerations,” the assertion stated.
The US president’s tone on Friday stood in distinction to his previous remarks about Canada, notably his frequent jabs at Carney’s predecessor, Justin Trudeau, whom he mockingly known as “Governor Trudeau”.
Along with imposing tariffs, Trump has repeatedly instructed that Canada ought to develop into the 51st US state—an concept that has sparked widespread backlash amongst Canadians.
On Thursday night, Carney stated the US was “now not a dependable buying and selling companion” and that Canada’s previous relationship with the US “is over”.
Carney, who leads Canada’s Liberal Celebration, has vowed to impose retaliatory tariffs with “most affect” on the US.
On Friday, he conveyed the message as soon as once more to Trump, in accordance with the assertion from his workplace.
“The Prime Minister knowledgeable the President that his authorities will implement retaliatory tariffs to guard Canadian staff and our economic system, following the announcement of further U.S. commerce actions on April 2, 2025,” it stated.
The US president’s proposed auto tariffs may affect as many as 500,000 jobs within the Canadian auto business.
The US has already partially imposed a blanket 25% tariff on Canadian items, together with a 25% obligation on all aluminium and metal imports. Canada has up to now retaliated with about C$60bn ($42bn; £32bn) of tariffs on US items.
The brand new automotive tariffs will come into impact on 2 April, with fees on companies importing automobiles beginning the subsequent day, the White Home stated. Taxes on elements are set to begin in Might or later.
Worsening US-Canadian relations have develop into a key electoral challenge in Canada’s common election.
Pierre Poilievre, chief of the Conservatives, the primary opposition social gathering, has known as the tariffs “unjustified and unprovoked”, whereas left-wing NDP chief Jagmeet Singh referred to them as a “betrayal”.
Trump has additionally warned Canada in opposition to working with the European Union in opposition to US reciprocal tariffs that he’s anticipated to announce quickly.
Any effort to take action, he stated, can be met with “massive scale tariffs, far bigger than presently deliberate”.
