‘When Americans stop doing memes, throwing shade’: Canada PM Carney on resuming trade talks with U.S.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has stated that trade negotiations with the U.S. will remain stalled until the American administration stops using aggressive rhetoric and social media memes. Carney emphasized that Canada will not accept trade terms that threaten its domestic auto industry or sovereignty.
Why it matters
The breakdown in trade relations between the U.S. and Canada poses significant risks to the highly integrated North American automotive supply chain and broader economic stability.
The U.S. needs to “start being serious and stop trying to be tough” before talks on a possible trade deal with Canada can restart, Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters on Tuesday (September 1, 2026).
Canada walked away from negotiations on an agreement to avoid additional U.S. tariffs on August 21, saying the American side had made unacceptable last-minute demands.
Since then U.S. President Donald Trump has declared that Lake Ontario should be renamed Lake America, described Canada’s leaders as “the worst” he has to deal with, and repeated assertions that Canada is ripping off the U.S.
He also posted an AI-generated meme showing Canadian geese with Trump’s distinctive hairstyle marching under a U.S. flag.
Mr. Carney said there was still a chance to strike a mutually beneficial trade deal that respected Canadian sovereignty.
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