PM Carney and Trump likely to talk in coming days, Canadian official says
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Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney said the nation accounts for just 1 per cent of US fentanyl imports, in response to Washington's linking of the tariff announcement in part to Canada’s failure to stop fentanyl smuggling.
PHOTO: REUTERS
WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will likely talk “over the next number of days” after the US imposed a 35 per cent tariff on goods not covered by the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement, a Canadian official said on Aug 3.
Mr Dominic LeBlanc, the federal cabinet minister in charge of US-Canada trade, also told CBS News’ Face The Nation that he was “encouraged” by recent discussions and believed a deal to bring down tariffs remained an option.
“We’re encouraged by the conversations with Secretary Lutnick and Ambassador Greer, but we’re not yet where we need to go to get the deal that’s in the best interest of the two economies,” Mr LeBlanc said, referring to US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
The trade minister said he expected Mr Carney and Mr Trump to speak “over the next number of days”.
“We think there is an option of striking a deal that will bring down some of these tariffs and provide greater certainty to investment,” Mr LeBlanc said.
Washington linked the Aug 1 tariff announcement in part to what it said was Canada’s failure to stop fentanyl smuggling. It was the latest blow in a months-long tariff war which Mr Trump initiated shortly after returning to power in 2025.
Mr Carney said Canada accounts for just 1 per cent of US fentanyl imports and has been working intensively to further reduce the volumes. REUTERS
