“Many believe we should just accept any offer,” Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Saturday in Manila, addressing trade negotiations between Canada and the United States.
Ottawa will not agree to any trade pact that fails to secure a viable automotive manufacturing sector in Canada, Carney stated during a press conference.
The remarks came three months after Canada suspended trade talks with Washington. At that time, Ottawa said that the United States had introduced last-minute demands that impacted Canadian automakers.
Carney said that the auto industry remains one of the fundamental and most difficult questions in the ongoing negotiations. He added that talks are progressing.
Earlier this week, Carney held a long and detailed conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller also participated in the discussion.
The American car market relies partly on Canadian manufacturing, according to Carney. He pointed out that the continental auto industry faces shared challenges regarding production speed and vehicle electrification.
“The sooner we get stable trade relations for the auto industry under the new US trade policy, the better it is of course for workers and the auto industry in Canada — but equally for the United States,” Carney said in Manila.
Carney also addressed foreign direct investment in the sector. He explained that Chinese investments in Canada’s auto industry are time-limited and tied to a fixed number of vehicles.
Officials will re-evaluate this policy based on several factors, including the degree of integration between the Canadian and American automotive industries.
Turning to domestic industry compliance, Carney reiterated that Ottawa believes automaker Stellantis has failed to fulfill obligations tied to federal funding. The company previously agreed to sell its assembly plant in Brampton, Ontario, to defense contractor Roshel.
“We are by no means satisfied with the current situation and the partial actions of Stellantis,” Carney said. He added that the government expects the company to meet its commitments to Canadian workers fully.
