Merve Aydogan
22 April 2026•Update: 22 April 2026
Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney said Wednesday that Washington does not set the terms of ongoing trade negotiations, rejecting the idea that Canada must make concessions to secure a seat at the table.
“It’s not a case of the United States dictates the terms,” Carney told reporters in Ottawa ahead of a Liberal caucus meeting, adding: “We have a negotiation, we can come to a mutually successful outcome, it will take some time, and we will take some time.”
Carney said both countries have identified areas of friction ahead of expected Canada-US-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) talks, noting that the issues run in both directions.
“We understand what some of the, what the Americans would call, trade irritants, or trade issues are. We have some on our side as well. We’re well prepared around those issues,” he said.
Noting that Canada has made “some counterproposals,” which the US side is aware of, he said: “The time will come to really roll up our sleeves.”
Separately, a report by Radio-Canada (CBC) cited multiple sources familiar with the talks and said the Trump administration is seeking a set of concessions from Ottawa before any formal talks can begin.
Former Quebec premier Jean Charest, appointed Tuesday to Carney’s advisory committee on Canada-US economic relations, also told CBC that US President Donald Trump “wants us to make a lot of concessions before we sit down at the table.”
Canadian sources separately told the broadcaster that Ottawa has offered concessions to Washington on two occasions without receiving anything in return.
