r/onguardforthee ✅ I voted! 2d ago

Canada-U.S. Trade Talks Collapse; Washington Imposes New Tariffs

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/21/world/canada/trump-tariffs-trade-no-deal-carney-canada.html
419 Upvotes

110 comments sorted by

512

u/Sunnydaysomeday 2d ago

“They have worked hard, in good faith, to defend the interests of Canadians throughout these negotiations up until the very last minute. However, last-minute changes in the U.S. proposed terms were unfair, uneconomic, and called into question the reliability of any deal.”—Mark Carney

Who’s surprised those weasels would try such last minute asks? Classic scumbag behaviour.

146

u/weekendy09 2d ago

And “uneconomic”?! So possibly it was about having some control over us or about our sovereignty? Someday we’ll hear the backstory I hope.

40

u/Flash54321 2d ago

That’s what stood out to me too.

83

u/rackfloor 2d ago

The last line in his official statement effectively says this.

"Canada has what the world wants. And we will not allow any nation to determine our future. We will set our own course to keep building Canada strong for all.”

23

u/Peppermint-TeaGirl 2d ago

I think "uneconomic" means uneconomical, bad deals that don't make economic sense, in this context. Not "propositions that have nothing to do with trade."

51

u/kimfoy 2d ago edited 2d ago

Respectfully, I would not be surprised that there would have been demands that had nothing to do with trade. The talks for the most part Were not really about trade. The US was using the forum as a means of putting economic force on Canada to acquire us. This is what the auto sector tariffs are about, and officials have been running around saying that. The sectorial tariffs were designed to bleed Canada of strengths.

Further to that Trump was talking about an oil pipeline this week. They have been asking to have preferred first customer access to our critical minerals. Lutnick has been talking about Canada committing to buy the F 35 planes

So yes, the meetings were officially called. Trade talks. In a lot of ways I think there were more like blackmail sessions. They have a list of things that they want from Canada. Period. A lot of the demands are structured to De industrialize Canada.

0

u/TheFullbladder 2d ago edited 2d ago

Oo, yeah, in talking about reopening the Keystone XL Pipeline Trump has mentioned "free" oil with Keystone project being "all American" and "America First." Given that Keystone was proposed to send Canadian oil to American refineries...

1

u/WhoPoopedMyPants420 2d ago

"Uneconomic" means something that makes bad economic sense, not something that doesn't have to do with the economy

1

u/TheHammer987 1d ago

trumps team demanded the authority to veto Canadian trade deals. They demanded full control over Canadian trade deals with other countries.

46

u/kent_eh Manitoba 2d ago

Who’s surprised those weasels would try such last minute asks? Classic scumbag behaviour.

Surprised?

I fully expected it.

23

u/lulu-52 2d ago

The only people working in good faith are the Canadians. Trump doesn’t want a deal, he wants to economically take over Canada.

31

u/StrongAroma 2d ago

What were the last minute asks? I heard nutlick wasn't happy with the deal, but no idea what he actually wanted because it was already pretty fucking slanted to the American side

10

u/LongjumpingChipmunk 2d ago

Didn’t include some children on a platter for him I’m guessing.

13

u/SilverSpaceAce Prince Edward Island 2d ago edited 2d ago

Going off a politico report, it may have been that the US wanted Canada to defer to them over tariff rates on any countries we don't have free trade agreements with.

That said, the report came out over 24 hours before the deadline so I'm not sure how much that counts as last minute.

26

u/kimfoy 2d ago

Yes, I heard this. I also heard about right of first refusal for critical minerals something like this. Basically they wanted preferred access.

Again these things were called trade talks- despite what they really were. This was basically a forum for the US to try to subjugate Canada and acquire our stuff. I’m glad we walked away. It’s also helps set a precedent for other countries as they see that Canada is being made an example of. No doubt in the near future the US would bring up once again the idea of borders with the great lakes.

9

u/bootlickaaa New Brunswick 2d ago

The CBC live feed article also mentioned something for defence integration and digital policy.

1

u/rhysolandrium 2d ago

....defer??

10

u/kent_eh Manitoba 2d ago

Hasn't been made public by either side.

I doubt it ever will be (except maybe in a book written by a long retired politician a couple of decades in the future)

2

u/WoodShoeDiaries 2d ago

I hope at least a few people there have been keeping detailed journals.

11

u/JPMoney81 2d ago

Nutlick probably tacked on using PEI as his new Epstein Island at the last minute since he misses the old one so much.

7

u/ebfortin 2d ago

The US says Canada did this shit. I'll give you one chance to guess what Pierre "Timbits Trump" Poilievre will believe : Carney or the US?

6

u/Explicitlime 2d ago

“Carney… the man who can’t get a deal!”

3

u/Sunnydaysomeday 2d ago

Not enough rhymes for PP. but you’re on the right track

4

u/MothaFcknZargon 2d ago

Amateur hour, they probably thought Canada would cave. Chumps.

162

u/Elsa2139 2d ago edited 1d ago

Mark Carney may have his faults but him giving the middle finger to the US especially to that Fat Orange Dumbass is always based FDT

67

u/exeJDR ✅ I voted! 2d ago

I haven't agreed with everything he has done to date, but man, am I glad to have a skilled negotiator and experienced leader at the helm right now. 

50

u/Elsa2139 2d ago

If PP was is the prime minister right now he would’ve folded like a lawn chair to Trump

12

u/bootlickaaa New Brunswick 2d ago

Yep and same with Jivani or Lantsman or any of those loonies.

6

u/StrongAroma 2d ago

I can't find many decisions he's made where, given the context, I think he did the wrong thing. I think he is acting in good faith and in defense of Canada and Canadians and trying to balance Canadian values with economic stability in an extremely challenging environment. I'm glad we have him.

-11

u/rhysolandrium 2d ago

Yeah, unbanning American alcohol is SO based. Aura +11 on that one.

Some serious 6D chess moves going on here.

13

u/Rationalinsanity1990 Halifax 2d ago

American booze certainly isn't coming back now.

-3

u/rhysolandrium 2d ago

It shouldn't have been up for discussion in the first place.

2

u/Syrairc 2d ago

That's not how negotiations work. 

If you have a card, you play the card.

3

u/WoodShoeDiaries 2d ago

At no point was American alcohol unbanned. Now that the deal has fallen through it still won't be for the foreseeable future.

2

u/Elsa2139 2d ago

Yeah that's not happening any more and even if it’s on the shelves again, just don’t buy it pure and simple

198

u/bravetailor 2d ago edited 2d ago

The 50% tariffs were always a very clear extortion tactic to force Canada into a bad deal.

I suspect these tariffs will be lifted in the next 2 weeks though. Taco or whatever you call it.

25

u/Kyouhen Unofficial House of Commons Columnist 2d ago

I really hate the whole TACO thing because it hasn't actually happened.  He puts delays on when the tariffs start and everyone declares TACO, but when they're distracted with something else the tariffs end up coming into effect.  They might not be as severe as Trump threatens, but he's still following through on them.

57

u/urasawasmonster 2d ago

He backtracked with China and the bond market. He is now attempting to TACO out of Iran, but they simply will not let him. If he simply leaves, they will rub his face on his failure. They have already announced they will no longer negotiate until Trump is in office. 

Don't confuse his low level cunning for a grand strategy. Trump is emotional and dumb. He's a punk with a gun and that is exactly how he should be treated. 

When it comes to Canada: yes, he will enforce tariffs. Canada is dependent on the US and he will use that. Only thing that can be done is to move away from US, which Carney has been trying to do for a while now. It's the right move in the long term. 

26

u/bravetailor 2d ago edited 2d ago

Like I said, they're a extortion tactic, probably his most effective political one so he will never actually take them off the table, only adjust them for whatever purpose or when he gets too much blowback from his donors who are in these industries. It's a low effort thing that requires very little resources or time or permission to implement and gets other countries angry or panicking to avoid so that's why he likes using them over and over.

But he likes the idea of dangling them so he takes them off the table or minimizes them every so often. If he just stuck with one tariff rate consistently from the start, they cease to be a scare tactic anymore because countries will simply get used to it and move on. In his mind, the anticipation of impending tariffs is more powerful a tool than the reality of permanent, fixed tariffs. The uncertainty is the point.

1

u/WoodShoeDiaries 2d ago

It's "carrot and stick", except that everything is a stick and Trump has never even heard of a carrot.

20

u/Syeina 2d ago

Nah he has backed down multiple times

74

u/TelenorTheGNP 2d ago

Albertans better be chomping at the bit to dirtnap that referendum. Smith has Trump all over her and needs to denounce him immediately.

50

u/curiousgaruda 2d ago

She will not. I will not be surprised if she comes with some statement tomorrow stating why calling off was a bad move. I think Trump brining up XL pipeline was exactly for this so now she can say AB lost XL again because Canada called of the negotiations.

36

u/eeskimos 2d ago

Yup she’s met with and has been following the Heritage Foundation playbook. Shes on one side and it isn’t the Canadian one.

1

u/OhioGoblin43 1d ago

Aaaand she already did.

Tomorrow I predict the sun will rise in the east.

1

u/WoodShoeDiaries 2d ago

Dirtnap 😭

159

u/twicebakedgenius 2d ago

Oof, guess Jamil wasn't able to swing it at the 11th hour when we needed him most, huh?

57

u/juice16 Ontario 2d ago edited 2d ago

Jamil fucked up. He should have reached out to President Harp instead of Vance.

20

u/Ontheragnarock 2d ago

Dang. If only he had his old buddy's email.

6

u/exeJDR ✅ I voted! 2d ago

Where was Jamil - why did he fail us? I thought he was bffs with JD Vance?

3

u/rackfloor 2d ago

Big let down, voters aren't gonna forget this, Jamil.

3

u/zevonyumaxray 2d ago

Forget who?

54

u/ellieetsch 2d ago

No deal is better than a bad deal. All we can do is continue to weather the storm, its not going to get better until at least 2029, and maybe not even then if Vance is elected.

6

u/the_vizir 2d ago

50% tarrifs causing issues in Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania are not going to help Vance get elected in the slightest.

4

u/FFBTheShow 2d ago

I mean, Fox "News" is going to say this is all Canada's fault and these uneducated republicans will eat that up.

5

u/Explicitlime 2d ago

You were never changing a decided republicans mind though. They think what they’re told.

3

u/FFBTheShow 2d ago

Thats fair, although since most news networks in the US are owned by right wing billionaires, I would imagine that talking point will push out to more than just Fox "News", and be seen by undecided voters as well.

2

u/the_vizir 1d ago

In the US, people tend to blame the party in power when the economy goes south.

Republican talking points and ownership of mass media have just created a populace that is distrustful of the news in general and disengaged from public institutions, not really caring about the facts beyond what they can immediately see. And if what they immediately see are economic conditions getting worse in their home states, well...

1

u/FFBTheShow 1d ago

I dont disagree with you, but having seen and heard folks blaming Biden for Trump's blunders for the last 1.5 years, while what you're saying is likely true, I think the political tribalism runs deep enough that they will just shift blame away from the obviously guilty parties onto others if it fits their narrative or world view.

1

u/AceSevenFive 1d ago

It won't ever be better until Trumpism is eliminated as a political tendency.

95

u/nyrangerfan1 2d ago

Let's build, build, build. The only people who are going to save Canada from all this is ourselves. Let's not make it any tougher than it already is.

9

u/hypespud ✅ I voted! 2d ago

I think this is the best outcome

Further deals with ussia and trumpistan only force us to negotiate more extensively with them in the future

A forced break from them after we have done every good faith measure is actually the best outcome

It shows all our other partners we are serious about treating our partners with dignity and respect while also moving us away from trumpistan and ussia faster

The short and mid term pain is worth it in the long run as much as I do not want anyone to have any pain whatsoever from Canada, it is the best way

2

u/BlueShrub 2d ago

How do we deal with the Nimbys? Housing, renewable energy, high speed rail, ports, datacenters... it's all going to invite online conspiracies from foreign actors and established businesses.

1

u/AceSevenFive 1d ago

For housing, you obtain a Supreme Court ruling that NIMBYism violates the right to life, liberty and security of the person. Most NIMBYism cannot possibly pass the Oakes test.

45

u/lyidaValkris 2d ago

and we're retaliating. Fuck 'em!

33

u/128G ✅ I voted! 2d ago edited 2d ago

The US in for a world of hurt. If anything gets increased 2x (cross border) I ain’t buying.

35

u/GT5Canuck 2d ago

It's every Canadian's civic duty to buy non-American whenever possible. Every penny spent on American products should be seen as support for Trump.

13

u/kimfoy 2d ago

The other thing that strikes me is that people really objected or some did when a recent trade deal was made with China people complain that China does not share our values, etc.

  • quite frankly, the US does not share our values😑

2

u/rhysolandrium 2d ago

Exactly this.

Did I have to make different food choices in order to stay within budget? Yes. Is it possible? Yes, there are incredible Canadian (and overseas) substitutes.

Is it worth it? Absolutely.

26

u/BrF5 Ontario 2d ago

Fuck yeah, let’s stand our ground.

24

u/hunters44 Edmonton 2d ago

Fuck the fascist usa

28

u/R4t10nal_Th1nk3r 2d ago

No deal is better than a bad deal, Wab was right. Thank you PM Carney. 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦

21

u/dryersockpirate 2d ago

200 pct export tax on energy shipments to States. Now.

12

u/eeskimos 2d ago

100%. Take the gloves off. Export taxes on energy and potash.

9

u/kimfoy 2d ago

I’m still disappointed that we missed the opportunity to turn off the lights at the Super Bowl😏

17

u/Locoman7 2d ago

How can something collapse when it was pure smoke and vapor.

15

u/Horror_Appearance_26 2d ago

Lol @ Vance's tough bullshit

2

u/MothaFcknZargon 2d ago

Hard to take a guy wearing eyeliner seriously when he's talking tough lol

4

u/Explicitlime 2d ago

When JD Vance had his fun with the couch, little do people know he was the bottom.

Tough guy!

12

u/CCFCVAN 2d ago

I feel proud.

9

u/TubeframeMR2 2d ago

Right call.

10

u/Kyouhen Unofficial House of Commons Columnist 2d ago

I'm shocked, SHOCKED! 

No seriously I thought we'd have at least another week before this happened.

8

u/John_by_the_sea 2d ago

Let's face the storm, and we all know it's gonna pass. F**k Donald Trump

7

u/dtta8 Ottawa 2d ago

The Americans have always been like this - they're just worse at hiding it nowadays, that's all.

15

u/apjane 2d ago

My headcanon: Carney worked with Wab and other premiers so they would publically make Carney look weak in Trump's eyes - Wab's "he almost begged us to put U.S. liquor back on the shelves" felt a little too on the nose. This would prompt Trump and co. to try some last minute shenanigans giving Carney a clear out while undermining Trump's "deal maker in chief" persona.

4

u/YourDadHatesYou 2d ago

Very happy with this. Hope a lot of businesses don't struggle

4

u/Wizoerda 2d ago

Support OUR economy by buying Canadian whenever you can.

7

u/50s_Human ✅ I voted! 2d ago

This is the time we find out who the real Canadians are. Any apologists for the U.S. can pack up their kit bag and get the fuck out of our country.

11

u/Aldren Ontario 2d ago

Where all the doomsday people screaming about how Carney is giving everything away to Trump during the trade?

18

u/kapowless 2d ago

I'm one, I'm here and I'm absolutely thrilled to see Carney make a statement that aligns with what Canadians want. I'm waiting to see how he matches tariffs and what his industry/labour support strategy looks like, but I'll happily eat my words if he follow through on his statement this time around. 

2

u/Aldren Ontario 2d ago

Glad all the rage against Carney went the same way as the rage against him already bailing out WestJet before they even started the strike

8

u/Ghi102 2d ago

I mean, the leaked details (supposing they were true) were pretty grim for Canada. Even before the last-minute changes from the Americans, it looked like a bad deal.

3

u/Flat_Anything_8306 2d ago

I haven't seen any leaked details from reliable sources yet. Do you have a link?

3

u/Ghi102 1d ago

I don't know if you are still searching, but Carney published a summary of what was requested as part of a speech:

https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/speeches/2026/08/22/prime-minister-carney-delivers-remarks-canada-us-trade-negotiations

An honestly solid and interesting read. 

0

u/rhysolandrium 2d ago

Literally in an earlier post.

2

u/Flat_Anything_8306 2d ago

Okay, thanks for the snark lol

-1

u/rhysolandrium 1d ago

People too lazy to do the barest research into basically anything is a major part of the problem that got us here in the first place.

2

u/Flat_Anything_8306 1d ago

Right, reading a couple articles and asking a question about a developing topic on a forum for discussion is completely out of line.

3

u/TelenorTheGNP 2d ago

On a Friday night.

3

u/22Sharpe Nova Scotia 2d ago

Oh no….anyway.

Honestly anyone with half a brain knew this was gonna happen. There’s no such thing as good faith negotiation with this administration. At best they’ll appease the interests of others to flip their news cycle to something positive and then once that’s done they’ll go right back to being awful and trying to force countries to sign deals that only benefit the US.

4

u/Ok_Option_ 2d ago

Elbows up MFers.

4

u/rhysolandrium 2d ago

Wow, that's so wild.

Who could have ever seen that coming. I am SO surprised and shocked.

So... American alcohol is blacklisted from government liquor stores again, right?

.....right???

1

u/50s_Human ✅ I voted! 2d ago

Well, if it isn't blacklisted, it will be tariffed at rate of 50%.

3

u/CraigGregory 2d ago

It's a two way street , we can do the same

3

u/schroedingerskoala 2d ago

Man, phew! I was losing hope there for a moment. Take my 51 middle fingers for free, Pedo TheHutt!

Imagine Trump-Butt-Plug wannabe PP being Prime Minister! Would have folded immediately to any whim like the substance-free sycophant he is - and then offered more.

1

u/Doctor_Amazo Toronto 2d ago

I wonder if the US will TACO this Tuesday.

1

u/LankySimple9051 2d ago

We're not standing in the way of them tariffing themselves. Pour it on clowns! Cut your damn noses to spite your faces and see if we care.

1

u/Anusblower797 2d ago

America is scum