Prime Minister Mark Carney says his government stands ready to take any measure necessary to shield Canadian workers and businesses from a fresh wave of American tariffs, as provincial and territorial leaders closed ranks behind Ottawa’s approach.
Carney delivered the message on July 23 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, where he met with all 13 premiers ahead of closed-door discussions on the escalating trade dispute. The gathering came just days after Washington confirmed plans to impose 50 percent tariffs on a range of Canadian exports starting August 19.
“On Monday, the U.S. administration announced its intention to impose the latest in a series of unilateral, unwarranted trade actions, and we’re clear: Canadian governments around this table will do whatever it takes to defend and support our families, our workers, and our businesses,” Carney told those assembled.
The prime minister argued that Canada now has more leverage than it did a year and a half ago, crediting a broader push to open new export markets, dismantle trade barriers between provinces, and push forward on large infrastructure projects.
He pointed to the country’s existing network of 16 free trade agreements spanning 51 nations deals that already open roughly two-thirds of global GDP and roughly 1.5 billion potential customers to Canadian goods. Carney said the federal government aims to roughly double that reach before the year is out.
“We’re all working to diversify our partnerships abroad, doubling the scale of those markets to over 3 billion people around the world. And we’re building strength at home, building one Canadian economy,” he said.
Speaking with journalists after the premiers’ meeting wrapped up, Carney said Ottawa would step in with whatever support proves necessary should Washington actually follow through on the August 19 tariff deadline.
Asked directly whether Canada might hit back with its own tariffs on American goods, Carney kept the door open. “Everything’s on the table if there’s no agreement, depending on the outcome of the negotiations,” he said.
Rather than striking first, Carney indicated his government’s current priority is strengthening the domestic economy, broadening trade ties abroad, and supporting industries already feeling the impact of tariffs while preparing a response to deploy only if Washington’s measures actually take effect.
“We don’t need to respond in advance. In fact, I think it would be counterproductive at this stage to respond in advance. But it’s important to know what your options are,” he added.
Carney also weighed in on comments from U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, who has said he intends to bring President Trump a set of options by year’s end for “interim arrangements” covering trade with both Canada and Mexico under the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement.
Carney called the idea a “sensible approach,” suggesting any interim deal would need to stay “consistent with the structure” of the existing CUSMA framework, while allowing for separate bilateral terms that reflect the distinct economic concerns each country brings to the table.
The dispute traces back to proclamations Trump signed on July 20, which impose 50 percent tariffs on close to $28 billion in Canadian goods including alcohol, automobiles, and dairy products regardless of whether those goods otherwise meet CUSMA’s compliance rules.
The U.S. administration has framed the move as a response to what it calls discriminatory Canadian trade practices, singling out barriers facing American automobiles, alcohol, and dairy exports.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has been sharply critical of the new tariffs, describing them as unjustified in a July 21 social media statement, and argued Carney’s government needs to move faster to build what he called “unbreakable leverage abroad.”
Poilievre called for accelerating privately funded infrastructure pipelines, LNG facilities, and port expansions and establishing what he described as a Strategic Energy and Minerals Reserve, to be made available to allied nations willing to grant Canada tariff-free access to their markets.
He has repeatedly argued that Canada’s response to U.S. tariff pressure should include cutting regulatory hurdles he blames for slowing development, pointing specifically to the tanker ban off British Columbia’s north coast, lengthy permitting timelines for energy and resource projects, and calls to repeal the federal Impact Assessment Act.
