Concession Carney faces his Neville Chamberlain moment
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is facing intense pressure to negotiate a trade deal with the US before an August 19 deadline to avoid heavy tariffs. Critics compare his strategy of making concessions to the appeasement policies of the 1930s.
Why it matters
The outcome of these trade negotiations will have profound impacts on the Canadian economy and North American trade relations.
In negotiating with the U.S., Prime Minister Mark Carney appears ready to make concessions to secure a trade deal. Justin Tang/The Canadian Press
Fen Osler Hampson is Chancellor’s Professor at Carleton University and co-chair of the Expert Group on Canada-U.S. Relations.
As U.S. President Donald Trump’s Aug. 19 deadline approaches, Prime Minister Mark Carney is making concessions to keep looming tariffs at bay. This could prove to be a defining moment in deciding the fate of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, for the choices are stark: appeasement or defiance, with little room to maneuver in-between.
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