Trump Declines Meeting with Canada’s Carney Amid Tariff Dispute

US President Donald Trump has confirmed he does not plan to meet with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney during the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in South Korea. Trump’s statement comes amid escalating tensions over tariffs and a controversial television advertisement produced by the province of Ontario.

During a flight on November 13, 2023, Trump expressed his discontent regarding the advertisement, which features clips of former US President Ronald Reagan criticizing tariffs. “I don’t want to meet with him. No, I’m not going to be meeting with them for a while,” Trump said. He indicated his satisfaction with the current trade deal with Canada, stating, “We’re going to let it ride.”

The tensions have escalated due to Trump’s announcement of a potential increase in tariffs on Canadian goods by 10% in response to the advertisement. Ontario Premier Doug Ford had previously indicated plans to cease airing the commercial after the weekend, yet Trump expressed frustration that immediate action was not taken to remove it, particularly as it aired during US broadcasts of the World Series.

Trump did not specify when the additional tariffs would take effect, only stating, “We’ll see.” Currently, Canada faces a base US tariff of 35%, although most Canadian goods are exempt under the terms of the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement. The President has not clarified whether the proposed tariff increase would affect these exemptions.

In addition to the base tariff, Canada’s steel and aluminum products are subjected to a significant 50% tariff on foreign metals, while Canadian-made vehicles are only partially exempt from a 25% tariff on most foreign automobiles.

Despite the ongoing dispute, Carney has maintained a relatively calm stance, expressing readiness to resume trade discussions with the US at any time. “Canada stands ready to build on the progress that we had been making in our negotiations or discussions with our American counterparts,” Carney stated during an event in Malaysia on November 12, 2023.

As the trade tensions evolve, it remains to be seen how these developments will impact US-Canada relations in the coming months.