Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney publicly acknowledged Tuesday that a trade deal with the United States could include some tariffs.
That appears to contradict a new poll that found a majority of Canadians want Carney to take a “hard-line” approach to a trade deal with the Trump administration.
“For Prime Minister Mark Carney and the Canadian negotiating team, the approach seems to be one of keeping their heads down, not elbows up,” an Angus Reid Institute poll released Tuesday found. “Canadians seem to want to fight back.”
“Elbows up” has become a symbol of defiance towards the United States. It’s a hockey term where players who are cornered defend themselves by raising their elbows.
But at a news conference before a cabinet meeting to discuss U.S. trade, Carney said a tariff-free deal seemed unlikely.
“There’s not a lot of evidence right now from the agreements and negotiations with the Americans that any country or any jurisdiction would have a tariff-free deal,” he said.
U.S. President Donald Trump said last week that 35% tariffs would be imposed on Canadian goods starting Aug. 1, the deadline for a trade deal between the two countries. That seems like a dead end.
The poll found that 63% of Canadians favor a “hard line” in negotiations with the U.S. without any concessions.
Respondents were split on whether Carney can get a good deal, with 46% saying he can, while 45% doubted it.
The poll was conducted July 9-13 among 1,697 people.
