Canada’s Carney says trade deal with US unlikely without some tariffs

TRENTON, Canada

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney publicly admitted Tuesday that a trade deal with the US might include some tariffs.

That would seem to run contrary to a new survey that found most Canadians want Carney to take a “hard approach” on a trade deal with the Trump administration.

“For Prime Minister Mark Carney and the Canadian negotiating team, the approach appears to center on keeping their head down rather than their elbows up,” the Angus Reid Institute poll released Tuesday found. “Canadians appear to want to push back.”

“Elbows up” has become a symbol of defiance against the US. It is a hockey term where players going into a corner defend themselves by putting their elbows up.

But at a news conference before a meeting with his Cabinet to discuss trade with the US, Carney said a tariff-free deal looked remote.

“There’s not a lot of evidence right now from the deals, agreements and negotiations with the Americans, for any country or any jurisdiction, to have a deal without tariffs,” he said.

US President Donald Trump said last week that 35% tariffs would be imposed on Canadian goods beginning Aug. 1, which is also the deadline for a trade deal between the two countries. That looks like a dead end.

The survey found 63% of Canadians were in favor of the hard approach with the US with no concessions.

Those surveyed were split on whether Carney could land a good deal at 46%, while 45% doubted it.

The survey was conducted July 9-13 among 1,697 people.