Unofficial Talks With US Still Ongoing Despite Breakdown of Official Negotiations, LeBlanc Says

Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc says officials in Washington and Ottawa remain in contact despite the breakdown of formal negotiations and the imposition of tariffs and counter-tariffs in recent weeks.

LeBlanc made the comments at a press conference on Sept. 11, on the first day of a two-day Liberal cabinet retreat in Banff, Alta.

He said he is in regular contact, “most often,” with the U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and also sometimes speaks to U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

“These are discussions that continue and we have all the interests in the world for maintaining this communication,” LeBlanc told reporters in French, while adding that there are no meetings currently scheduled with Washington.

He opened his remarks by noting that he had texted Lutnick earlier that morning to express his sympathy over Lutnick’s personal losses on Sept. 11, 2001. Lutnick’s brother Gary died in the North Tower of the World Trade Center that day, and more than 600 people who worked in his business also lost their lives in the terrorist attack.

“He has talked to me often about what that meant for him and his family. So I sent him a message to say I was thinking about him,” LeBlanc said.

LeBlanc added that while there aren’t official trade talks happening between the countries, he remains ready for a potential trade deal that “respects both Canada’s sovereignty and Canada’s economic interests.”

His comments come as trade tensions between the two countries have intensified following the collapse of negotiations in August and the subsequent imposition of new tariffs and import restrictions.

U.S. President Donald Trump signed orders on Sept. 8 banning imports of most Canadian alcohol, certain dairy products and motorcycles. The same day, Canada imposed retaliatory tariffs ranging from 15 to 50 per cent on $27.6 billion of U.S. goods. The Canadian measures were in response to 50 per cent U.S. tariffs that took effect Aug. 22 on approximately $27.6 billion of Canadian goods.

Trump originally announced the new 50 percent tariffs on July 20, citing what his administration described as “discriminatory” trade practices involving Canada’s supply managed dairy sector, Canadian tariffs on U.S. automobiles, and provincial restrictions on the sale of U.S. alcohol.

Despite Trump’s statement that a draft deal had been reached ahead of the U.S. tariff deadline, negotiations between Washington and Ottawa broke down on Aug. 21. Prime Minister Mark Carney said “last-minute changes in the U.S. proposed terms were unfair, uneconomic, and called into question the reliability of any deal.”

Greer has disputed Ottawa’s account, saying Canada introduced unacceptable demands at the last minute and backed away from previous commitments.

In addition to the tariffs imposed Aug. 22 and the Sept. 8 import restrictions, Trump has said Canadian cars, trucks and automotive parts will face 50 percent tariffs starting Jan. 1, 2027.