Trump strategy unchanged after Democrats' midterm landslide, says Canada-U.S. trade minister
Canada's point man on the Canada-U.S. trade file says the federal government's strategy isn't changing in the short term despite American voters handing a seismic win to Democrats in Tuesday night's midterm elections.
LeBlanc says Canada still must work with president and his cabinet
Catharine Tunney · CBC News
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Canada's point man on the Canada-U.S. trade file says the federal government's strategy isn't changing in the short term despite American voters handing a seismic win to Democrats in Tuesday night's midterm elections.
While the results are widely seen as a strong repudiation of U.S. President Donald Trump and his economic policies, Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc wouldn't weigh in ahead of a caucus meeting on Wednesday morning in Ottawa.
"It's not particularly constructive for Canadians to interpret results in a foreign country's election," he said. "Our job is to focus on what we can control, and that's to work with the people that Americans have elected."
LeBlanc noted the trade talks are conducted with Trump and his cabinet.
"They remain in office today. And those are the people with whom we'll be having those conversations," he said.
Canada has been seeking a trade deal with the U.S. in hopes of lowering steep tariffs on Canadian goods, including targeted sectors like autos, steel, aluminum and softwood.
WATCH | 'Our focus hasn't changed,' LeBlanc says:
'Our focus hasn't changed,' LeBlanc says as Democrats take U.S. Congress
3 hours ago|
Duration
1:14
Dominic LeBlanc, Canada-U.S. trade minister, congratulated the politicians elected in the U.S midterms but stressed that the Liberal government remains focused on strengthening the economy and diversifying trade relationships — adding that the Trump administration remains in place.One of the big questions for the Canadian side is how the infamously volatile U.S. president reacts to the midterm shellacking, one that delivered control of both the House and Senate to Democrats, and whether it gives Prime Minister Mark Carney's government more leverage.
Trump was already signalling some movement on the file, telling Fox News on Tuesday morning he was close to a deal.
Carney didn't go quite as far but told reporters that afternoon that the White House has shifted its stance on some of what he called Canada's "red lines," including language requirements and Canada's ability to strike trade deals with other countries.
WATCH | Carney on the state of U.S. trade talks:
'We've made progress' with U.S. on trade talks, Carney says
November 3|
Duration
1:36
Following a conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump over the weekend, Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Tuesday that the U.S. has 'clearly shifted' on Canada's 'red lines' around sovereignty, language and trade deals. 'They're asking less and they're offering more,' Carney said."They're asking less and they're offering more," the prime minister said, adding the two leaders will meet in China later this month.
He said there is still work to be done before a deal is inked. Autos are expected to be a key sticking point, as they were in August before talks collapsed — triggering new tariffs on both sides.
Trump still has his veto powers
A blue Congress doesn't necessarily mean it's clear sailing for Canada.
The new crop of representatives and senators won't be sworn in until January, and even after that Trump will still be able to lean on his executive authority.
After the results came Trump posted an image of a red MAGA-style hat with the word "VETO," although he also told Politico "I don't want to be just sitting there for two years vetoing everything."
LeBlanc said "what the new Congress might decide to do when they're seated two months from now is an interesting discussion," but that's "not going to change the work that we have to do in the next two weeks."
"The American Congress will act in the interests of the American Congress. Our work will be focused on what we can do here at home," he said.
Analysis
What the Republican midterm defeat means for Trump, the U.S. and Canada
Carney says U.S. 'asking less and offering more' with 'more intense' trade talks underway
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said it's on Carney and his government to leverage the results to land a tariff-free trade deal with the U.S. administration.
"Americans hate these tariffs," he said. "Let's leverage that goodwill to pressure the administration and Congress to remove all the tariffs, lower the cost of living for Americans but also boost jobs and business for long-struggling Canadians."
Ford 'doing cartwheels'
Ontario Premier Doug Ford, one of the most colourful critics of Trump's tariffs at the premiers' table, said he "was doing cartwheels down the street" as the votes were being tallied.
"You ever seen a big guy like me doing cartwheels? I was jumping up and down when the results were coming in. But it's very simple, the American people spoke," he said.
WATCH | Ford reacts to midterm results:
Doug Ford 'doing cartwheels' over U.S. midterm results
42 minutes ago|
Duration
1:18
Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he was 'jumping up and down' as the Democrats took over the U.S. Congress in Tuesday night's elections. Asked about the risk that U.S. President Donald Trump may blame Canada, Ford said he thinks the Republican Party will 'start moving forward without' Trump.Ford said he'll be reaching out to governors and is instructing his cabinet to reach out to U.S. Congress members and senators.
"The war is not over. We have to continue making sure that we move faster, quicker, immediate on everything across the board," he said.
Former ambo urging caution
Canada's former ambassador to the U.S., Kirsten Hillman, cautioned the federal government against making any sudden changes.
"If they're having constructive conversations that are heading towards some kind of arrangement that would work for Canada, we wouldn't want them to stop that," Hillman said during election night coverage on CBC News.
Former Conservative cabinet minister James Moore suggested Carney shouldn't accept a deal with tariffs now.
"Americans don't want tariffs. The polls and voters are clear. Do not make a deal with a repudiated and departing president that normalizes tariffs that Americans and Canadians don't want," he posted on X.
"Do not put Canada at an economic disadvantage with a tariff-accepting deal."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Catharine Tunney is a reporter with CBC's Parliament Hill bureau, where she covers national security and the RCMP. She worked previously for CBC in Nova Scotia. You can reach her at catharine.tunney@cbc.ca
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