Prime Minister Mark Carney won’t say whether Canada will use its energy sector as a bargaining chip in its trade negotiations with the U.S. as steep new 50 per cent tariffs are just weeks away from hitting.
During a press conference on Wednesday in Red Deer, Alta., where he was making an unrelated housing announcement alongside Premier Danielle Smith, Carney was asked by a reporter whether he is “willing to use Canadian energy as a bargaining chip in trade negotiations with the United States, yes or no?”
Carney said he would not speculate on what measures Canada could take.
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“We’re engaged in those negotiations to find a mutually beneficial solution. We’re only going to accept a solution that works for Canadians. We have lots of options of what we would do if that’s not there, both positive in terms,” Carney said.
“But I’m not going to be drawn on what we’re going to do.”
He also added that “we’re going to focus now on building towards an agreement if an agreement is possible” and that “Everybody wants to do more with Canada, except the United States.
“Everyone wants to do more with Canada.”
Effective Aug. 19, the U.S. will slap down 50 per cent tariffs on selected Canadian imports as a result of “retaliatory and discriminatory measures” Canada has against the U.S., according to the White House. Automotive, dairy, and alcoholic beverage industries, among others, are set to be impacted.
Carney said on July 21 that Canada is “looking at all options” on how to respond to the tariff threat, saying that he and U.S. President Donald Trump “agreed to intensify discussions.”
Looting taxes on Alberta’s oil sale to the U.S. is how Ottawa pays to keep Ontario, Quebec, and Eastern Canada’s klepto-socialist “free” stuff economies afloat.
The oil that feeds Ontario’s Sarnia refinery is oil that the U.S. bought from Alberta and shipped there via the U.S. Line 5 pipeline that crosses the border to Ontario in Michigan.
Eloe Up, eh?
Are we back to hating America again now? We keep switching sides its hard to keep track
Carney has no plan and just flip flops daily depending on location and the audience he is in front of.
Dairy should not be stopping us from free trade with the US as there is zero rationale for the protectionist policies.
US dairy imported into Canada would not contain hormones. If you have been told otherwise, you have been lied to.
Go ahead. Cutting off O&G to the US, would cut off the supply to eastern Canada.