OTTAWA — Dominic LeBlanc says he expects Prime Minister Mark Carney and U.S. President Donald Trump will speak “over the next number of days” as tensions rise over new American trade tariffs. LeBlanc, Canada’s Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and President of the King’s Privy Council, appeared on CBS’s Face the Nation Sunday, where he addressed the growing strain between the two allies.
Speaking with host Margaret Brennan, LeBlanc acknowledged Canada’s “disappointment” with the latest round of tariffs imposed by Trump but affirmed that Canada remains committed to reaching a deal that can remove barriers to cross-border trade. He emphasized continued engagement, despite the escalating measures.
Last week, LeBlanc travelled to Washington to meet with officials from the Trump administration, hoping to negotiate terms before the upcoming Friday deadline to finalize a renewed agreement under the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement framework. While Mexico received a 90-day extension on pending duties, Canada was hit with a sweeping 35-per-cent tariff on goods deemed non-compliant with the agreement.
These new measures come in addition to existing U.S. tariffs on Canadian steel, aluminum, and automobiles. Trump’s administration also recently announced a 50-per-cent tariff on semi-finished copper products, further straining bilateral relations.