The mayor of Surrey and the Surrey White Rock Board of Trade applauded the federal government for not backing down in trade negotiations with the United States instead of agreeing to something that “does not protect Canadian businesses, workers and resources.”
Trade talks between Canada and the United States broke down late Friday night (Aug. 21).
At a press conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa Saturday (Aug. 22), Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters why “they are walking away from a bad deal” and what Canada’s next steps are.
Carney said the last-minute changes to the deal that the United States was proposing were “unfair, uneconomic, and called into question the reliability of any deal.”
The United States “asked for too much and offered too little,” Carney said. Late Friday night (Aug. 21), he decided to suspend the negotiations and instructed the Canadian negotiators to return to Ottawa.
“We cannot accept what they have offered and give what they have asked,” he said.
As of midnight on Aug. 22, “the U.S. intends to impose a 50% tariff on roughly $28 billion of Canadian goods. Canada will match those tariffs dollar for dollar to protect our workers and businesses,” he said. Canada will impose “dollar-for-dollar” tariffs, which will come into effect on Sept. 8.
A reporter asked the prime minister, “Why does it feel like today Mark Carney is going to war?”
Carney responded, “Because we have been attacked; you are at war when you get attacked, and we were attacked. We waited until the United States decided to implement these so-called 338 tariffs.”
He added that these steps are being taken “reluctantly” because some “U.S. companies and U.S. States are innocent bystanders in a dispute that they did not want,” and that these will raise costs and reduce choices for Canadians.
“But we take this step confident that it is in the best interest of Canada and by rejecting a bad deal, by standing up to Canada, by focusing on what we can control, we will build Canada strong for all,” Carney said.
Surrey mayor Brenda Locke said, “The Prime Minister was right to reject an unfair agreement that would have harmed Canada’s economy and weakened our independence. Canada negotiated in good faith, but no deadline and no threat of tariffs should force our country to accept a bad deal. Canada must decide its own future, and Canadians must stand together to defend it.”
Locke said the U.S. decision to impose tariffs is “unfair” and will ultimately hurt Canadian and American families and workers.
“Surrey supports the federal government’s strong response and its commitment to protect Canadian jobs and industries. Canada will not be intimidated, divided or pressured into giving up control of its future,” Locke said.
Joslyn Young, CEO of the Surrey & White Rock Board of Trade (SWRBOT), said, “We are disappointed that the U.S. negotiating team was unable to reach an agreement with Canada that respects our longstanding economic partnership and the principles of fair, rules-based trade. A deal at any cost is not a good deal.”
“We are hopeful the United States will return to the table with a different perspective, but we cannot build Canadian economic policy on that possibility,” Young said. “Regardless of what happens next, Canadian businesses should continue diversifying their supply chains and customer base.”
But the federal, provincial and territorial governments must remove the “unnecessary barriers to doing business across provincial borders.”
“We need to make Canada one of the easiest and most competitive places in the world to build and grow a business,” Young said. “That means making it easier for Canadian companies to invest, hire, expand and sell to customers across the country.”
Young encouraged businesses to continue to diversify their supply change and develop new and domestic markets.
“Canada’s relationship with the United States will remain critically important, but resilience requires options,” Young said. “This is not about turning away from the U.S. It is about ensuring Canada is strong enough that no single country can determine our economic future.”
At a press conference in Vancouver Saturday (Aug. 22), Premier David Eby reassured British Columbians that Canada will stand strong against U.S. tariffs after a potential trade deal collapsed.
The premier hesitated to call the talks a negotiation.
The latest trade talks, Eby said, revealed the true nature of what Americans are seeking in a relationship with Canada.
However, he said the current U.S. administration “cannot be trusted.” Eby added that even if an agreement was signed, there’s no guarantee it could last.
“No deal is better than a bad deal,” Eby said, noting that he’s heard that from his colleagues.
-With files from Lauren Collins