Canada/US tariff negotiations will begin this May: Carney

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OTTAWA — Negotiations over U.S./Canada tariffs will begin in May.

That’s what Prime Minister Mark Carney said Friday after emerging from an hours-long cabinet meeting, giving brief remarks and taking no questions from reporters.

“We reviewed our response to those tariffs, our core strategy to fight and protect and to build,” Carney said.

“We left instructions for officials to ensure that the next government, whichever government Canadians choose, will be in the best possible position for negotiations with the United States, which the President and I agreed will begin from the start of May.”

Carney, who described the meeting as a “good discussion,” told reporters the week’s developments in U.S. President Donald Trump’s worldwide trade war were top of the agenda.

The Liberal Party Leader suspended his campaign for a third time to chair the meeting, which commenced at 10 a.m. Friday in the cabinet room at West Block.

Carney then abruptly left down a flight of stairs as reporters tried to ask questions of him.

Cabinet ministers who attended the meeting in person had little to say to reporters outside of the committee room, largely breezing by cameras without saying anything.

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