No immediate tariff relief despite ‘good’ chat with Trump: Carney

Though Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney recently said he had a lengthy and productive conversation with US President Donald Trump on August 1 covering trade and other issues, his words suggested it is unlikely American tariffs on imports from his country will be lifted in anytime soon.

The two neighbours have been locked in a trade war since early this year, when Trump imposed tariffs on some imports from Canada and Ottawa responded with its own countermeasures.

Though Canadian PM Mark Carney recently said he had a lengthy and productive conversation with US President Donald Trump on August 1, his words suggested it is unlikely American tariffs on imports from his country will be lifted in anytime soon.
Carney said a senior team of his government officials was in Washington for the latest round of talks on trade, while making clear progress would not be quick.

“I last spoke to the president on Monday evening. We spoke at length on a wide range of issues, including on trade, but geopolitical, other issues. … It was a good conversation,” Carney told reporters in Toronto.

Carney said a senior team of his government officials was in Washington for the latest round of talks on trade, while making clear progress would not be quick, global newswires reported.

He reiterated Canada would maintain its tariffs on imports of US steel, aluminum and autos, which it described as strategic sectors.

“Don’t expect immediate white smoke on one of these strategic sectors, but that’s the type of conversation that we’re having, and we’ll continue to have,” he added.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)