Carney Says Canada-US Trade Talks Have Picked Up Slightly, Credits US Shift Toward Canada
Photo: The HinduCanadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Monday, October 26, 2026, that trade talks with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump have picked up slightly, but that any progress is because Washington is moving closer to Canada's demands. The comments came eight days before U.S. midterm elections, and White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett has suggested the two countries are close to a deal.
Carney described a "slight, slight intensification" of discussions and said Canada's negotiating position had not changed. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc's office said Canada remains in "constructive dialogue" with Washington. Asked how he could be sure Trump would sign firmly this time, after Carney earlier warned that Washington's signature was sometimes written in pencil, he answered that he did not know.
Canada rejected Washington's terms in August after the countries appeared close to a deal, with Carney saying the offer crossed Canadian red lines. Trump then imposed 50% tariffs on roughly $20 billion in Canadian goods, prompting Canadian retaliation and further trade restrictions. Trump said on Friday, October 23, that he would lift something; the available text cuts off before saying what.
Right-leaning coverage, represented by the Washington Times, runs the story under the same headline as the other outlets and leads with Carney's claim that progress reflects Washington moving toward Canada's position. The excerpt gives only that core statement, with no mention of Hassett, LeBlanc, the August breakdown or the tariffs. Alternative and independent coverage, via The Hindu and AP, uses the same headline and lede but adds the midterm timing, Hassett's suggestion of a close deal, LeBlanc's office's statement, Carney's "I don't know" answer and the history of the tariffs. The sides agree on the central claim and the framing. The difference is depth, not interpretation. Left-leaning outlets had not reported this story at the time of writing, while the right-leaning and alternative outlets had, and those outlets focus on Carney's account of the shift.
How the sides differ Right sources give a brief version of Carney's claim that Washington is moving closer; alternative sources add detail on August's collapse and tariffs; left sources had not covered it.
Headline, comparison and summary written by AI from the articles below. AI can make mistakes, so check the original articles before relying on a detail.
Not covering this story. None of the left-leaning outlets Crosswire tracks has reported it yet. What one side leaves out can be as telling as what the others report.
The Hindu and AP lead with Carney's claim that the U.S. is moving toward Canada's position, adding Hassett, LeBlanc's office, Carney's "I don't know" answer, and the August collapse and tariffs.
The Washington Times leads with Carney saying talks have picked up slightly and that progress reflects Washington moving closer to Canada's demands, offering a short account focused on that statement.