9 hours ago
Swift News
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has penned a scathing letter to the prime minister ahead of his meeting with the U.S. president this week, saying Mark Carney has been a disappointment on the trade file and needs to come back from this trip with some wins for Canada.
In the letter, which was shared with CBC News, Poilievre said Carney promised to "negotiate a win" for Canada and deliver some tariff relief this summer, but that didn't work out as planned.
Carney and U.S. President Donald Trump blew past a self-imposed Aug. 1 deadline for a deal on the border and fentanyl-related tariffs and the so-called Section 232 tariffs on steel, aluminum, autos and other Canadian products.
Trump has only ramped up the pressure on Canada since then, with new tariffs on lumber and furniture and higher rates for some existing ones — a sign that talks are going in the wrong direction, Poilievre argues.
"U.S. tariffs on Canada are twice as high as when you were elected saying you would get rid of them. You promised 'elbows up,' but then caved on dollar-for-dollar counter-tariffs, the Digital Services Tax and more while winning nothing in return for Canada," Poilievre said.
"No more losing. It is time for you to deliver the promised wins," he said, while demanding Carney get Trump to lift tariffs off softwood lumber, steel, aluminum and autos and "get rid of Buy American rules that discriminate against Canadian builders" — goals the government is already trying to accomplish.
Carney and a number of cabinet ministers are set to meet with the U.S. president at the White House on Tuesday for what the Prime Minister's Office describes as a face-to-face "focused on shared priorities in a new economic and security relationship between Canada and the U.S."
Poilievre said Carney should lean on him and other Conservatives "to help you keep your promise to 'negotiate a win' on tariffs with the U.S." — an apparent reference to his recent offer to meet with U.S. lawmakers and Trump administration officials on Canada's behalf.
Earlier this year, Poilievre said these trade negotiations are best left to the prime minister of the day.
"I am always happy to help because we all must put Canada ahead of our parties," Poilievre told Carney.
