“[U.S. President Donald] Trump wants us to make a lot of concessions before we sit down at the table,” Charest told Radio-Canada. “Meanwhile, he wouldn\u2019t make any.”<\/p>\n
On the U.S. side, there are suggestions that Canada should try to get Trump\u2019s attention by making an immediate concession, especially since the president is juggling several major issues right now.<\/p>\n
However, Canadian sources said they have twice offered concessions to the U.S. administration without receiving anything in return.<\/p>\n
Last spring, Ottawa dropped a significant portion of the reciprocal counter-tariffs it had put forward as a retaliatory measure against the tariffs on steel and aluminum imposed by Washington.<\/p>\n
At the end of June, Canada also scrapped the digital services tax, which would have imposed a three per cent levy on the Canadian revenues of digital giants such as Amazon, Apple and Meta.<\/p>\n
“The repeal of the digital services tax will significantly advance negotiations on a new economic and security partnership with the United States,” Finance Minister Fran\u00e7ois-Philippe Champagne said at the time.<\/p>\n
More than nine months later however, negotiations do not appear to have made any progress.<\/p>\n
The source of the dispute<\/p>\n
Washington has several grievances.\u00a0In particular, the United States wants Canada to change the way it administers its dairy quotas and review its policies on digital sovereignty.<\/p>\n
But alcohol remains one of Washington\u2019s biggest pet peeves. The Trump administration is having a hard time accepting that most provinces across the country have removed American wine, beer and spirits from their shelves.<\/p>\n
![\"An](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/dee93020b2163d12d4dd869577260359.jpeg\"\/)
<\/p>\n
An employee removes American spirits from an SAQ liquor store in Montreal on March 4, 2025. (Christinne Muschi\/The Canadian Press)<\/p>\n
However, provinces including Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia have said they have no intention of backing down on the liquor ban.<\/p>\n
“We need to secure real concessions from the Trump administration to put American alcohol back on [Quebec liquor store] shelves,\u201d said a source in Quebec City familiar with the discussions.<\/p>\n
According to this source, Ottawa and the provinces have discussed the alcohol issue and reached a consensus not to offer that concession to the Americans right away.<\/p>\n
“We tell [Washington], \u2018If we make concessions, if we take steps, you\u2019ll do the same.\u2019 And on that point, they\u2019re not open to it at all. At least, not right now,\u201d said another Canadian source familiar with the discussions.<\/p>\n
In March 2025, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick compared negotiations with the United States to purchasing a Costco membership: You have to pay before you can shop.<\/p>\n
Behind the scenes in Ottawa, however, it has been pointed out that once they’ve paid for a membership, Costco customers aren’t then asked to pull out their wallet again just to walk down the meat aisle.<\/p>\n
![\"Canada's](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/b30504a20f3ed141c5e15512b168a947.jpeg\"\/)
<\/p>\n
Former Canadian diplomat Louise Blais addresses the United Nations Security Council on Aug. 29, 2018. (Richard Drew\/The Associated Press)<\/p>\n
Playing for time?<\/p>\n
According to former Canadian diplomat Louise Blais, who attended several meetings in Washington last week in her capacity as a strategic advisor to the Canadian Council on International Affairs, the Americans “perceive Canada as unwilling to come to the table.”<\/p>\n
“The Canadian government seems to want to keep all its cards close to its chest and not give things away piecemeal … to retain all its leverage for a major negotiation,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
“On the American side, what they\u2019re saying today is that it\u2019s Canada that doesn\u2019t seem willing to come to the table in a meaningful way.”<\/p>\n
Three sources have noted this apparent lack of urgency on Ottawa\u2019s part since Christmas, suggesting that Canada is “playing for time.”<\/p>\n