New Canadian leader says Trump will want trade talks

TORONTO (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Friday U.S. President Donald Trump will ultimately respect Canada’s sovereignty and be ready for comprehensive trade talks because Americans are going to suffer from Trump’s trade war.

Carney said talks with Trump will not happen “until we get the respect we deserve as a sovereign nation. By the way, this is not a high bar.”

Trump kept up his near-daily attacks on Canada on Friday, repeating that the country should be the 51st state and that the U.S. keeps Canada “afloat.”

“When I say they should be a state, I mean that,” the American president said.

Carney met with Canada’s provincial leaders at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, where he announced relief packages for workers and businesses hurt by the trade war and announced moves to expedite resource projects.

Carney, sworn in last Friday, still hasn’t had a phone call with Trump. Trump mocked Carney’s predecessor, Justin Trudeau, by calling him Governor Trudeau, but he has not yet mentioned Carney’s name.

The new prime minister said he wants a comprehensive discussion on trade and security with the Americans and not a one-off tariff discussion.

Source: AP