What people are saying about the failed Canada-U.S. trade deal

“Saskatchewan, more than any other province, is diversifying its trade to other countries, and that will not be compromised.

“For those reasons, the Prime Minister made the right decision to not accept an unfair and unreliable deal, and we support the Prime Minister’s decision to enact dollar for dollar counter-tariffs on targeted U.S. products.”

— Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe

“In recent weeks, we made important progress toward improving Canada’s position as having the best deal in the world with the U.S. However, that progress has not been enough to meet our objectives for Canadians.

“As a result, this evening, I have decided to suspend trade negotiations with the U.S. and have directed Canada’s negotiators to return to Ottawa. They have worked hard, in good faith, to defend the interests of Canadians throughout these negotiations up until the very last minute. However, last-minute changes in the U.S. proposed terms were unfair, uneconomic, and called into question the reliability of any deal.”

— Prime Minister Mark Carney

“Despite the U.S. offer to Canada to receive the best treatment of any major exporter to our market, new demands and walk-backs of other commitments by Canada have upended the careful balance reached in the past days.

“In addition, Canada is continuing to maintain its prolonged retaliation against the United States, including, among other things, flat-out prohibitions on certain American goods and services.”

— U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer

“This will be a body blow to North American competitiveness in this self-defeating trade saga. A whopping, non-absorbable tariff is not sustainable or viable for business.

“For a small Canadian exporter operating on tight margins, this isn’t an abstract trade dispute. It means looking at your orders, your payroll and your employees and asking what you can still afford.

“Americans will see their costs go up, and Canadians will see customers, investment and small businesses disappear.”

— Candace Laing, president and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce

“We appreciate the administration’s recognition that American distillers have been unfairly targeted by these Canadian provincial sales bans. This discriminatory treatment of U.S. spirits products has persisted for more than a year and a half, causing significant economic harm to our industry.

“It is unfortunate that the Canadian provinces’ continued refusal to return U.S. spirits products to store shelves has led to this outcome. We encourage policymakers on both sides of the border to pursue a negotiated solution that restores market access for U.S. spirits throughout Canada and returns spirits trade to a zero-for-zero tariff framework.”

— Chris Swonger, president and CEO of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States

“While I’m hoping more will come out on what happened and where we go from here, this is deeply troubling for thousands of small Canadian exporters.

“A full 40 per cent of small exporters sell items on the new 10+ page list of items facing 50 per cent tariffs. Many CFIB members have said this will end their US sales, and some have reported this will kill their businesses.

“I hope that discussions continue and an interim deal can be quickly found.”

— Dan Kelly, president and CEO of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business

“Walking away from a bad deal is the right choice for Canada. The road ahead will be tough. But we’re all in this together. We must use our leverage to force Trump to back down. And we must focus on protecting workers and communities impacted by Trump’s trade war.”

— Bea Bruske, president of the Canadian Labour Congress

“Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters is deeply disappointed that Canada and the United States were unable to reach an agreement. The newly imposed Section 338 tariffs, coupled with existing Section 232 tariffs—particularly those on steel, aluminum, autos and auto parts—will compound the challenges facing Canadian manufacturers and the 1.8 million Canadians who work in the sector.

“They will raise costs, disrupt integrated supply chains, and make Canadian companies less competitive. They will also deepen the uncertainty that is already causing businesses to delay investments in new facilities, machinery and equipment, technology and workforce development.”

This outcome is not sustainable for many manufacturers, especially SMEs, which are the lifeblood of Canada’s economy.”

— Dennis Darby, president and CEO of Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters

“For generations, Canadian and American farmers have worked as partners, supplying food, feed, fertilizer, equipment, and other essential inputs that support a strong North American food system. The breakdown in negotiations and escalation of new tariffs create uncertainty at a time when farmers are already facing significant challenges, including rising input costs, market volatility, and increasingly unpredictable weather.”

— Keith Currie, president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture

“While we had hoped for a different outcome, we recognize the efforts of Canada’s negotiating team in pursuing a stronger result. The impacts of these unjustified U.S. tariffs will be felt across Canada, but not equally. Some regions will face greater pressure on local jobs, industries, and economic growth than others, and no municipality should be left carrying a disproportionate share of the burden.”

— Tim Tierney, president of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities

by The Canadian Press

What people are saying about the failed Canada-U.S. trade deal

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